Processor and program execution method capable of efficient program execution

ABSTRACT

A processor for sequentially executing a plurality of programs using a plurality of register value groups stored in a memory that correspond one-to-one with the programs. The processor includes a plurality of register groups; a select/switch unit operable to select one of the plurality of register groups as an execution target register group on which a program execution is based, and to switch the selection target every time a first predetermined period elapses; a restoring unit operable to restore, every time the switching is performed, one of the register value groups into one of the register groups that is not selected as the execution target register group; a saving unit operable to save, prior to the restoring, register values in the register group targeted for restoring, by overwriting a register value group in the memory that corresponds to the register values; and a program execution unit operable to execute, every time the switching is performed, a program corresponding to a register value group in the execution target register group.

This is a divisional application of U.S. Ser. No. 10/338,408, filed onJan. 8, 2003.

This application is based on applications no. 2002-002816 and no.2003-001616 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporatedby reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to processors, and in particular totechnology for efficiently executing programs.

2. Related Art

Conventionally, there exist operating systems (OS) that use a singleprocessor to process a plurality of tasks in a pseudo-parallel manner.

An OS such as this makes a processor repeatedly execute the followingprocessing.

The processor is made to store, in a register group within theprocessor, control information (hereafter “contexts”) showing anexecution position, a data storage location and the like of a computerprogram (hereafter, simply “program”) corresponding to each task, toexecute the task after obtaining a program, data and the like based onthe stored context, to update the context following the execution of thetask, and to write the updated context into memory.

Here, for the sake of convenience, the writing of a context stored in anexternal memory into a register group is referred to as “restoring”, andthe writing of a context stored in a register group into an externalmemory is referred to as “saving”.

FIG. 32 is a functional block diagram of a conventional processor 1001that executes tasks under the control of an OS such as described above,and additionally shows a context memory 1010 that stores contexts.

Processor 1001 includes a processing execution unit 1002 that executingtasks, a processing control unit 1003 that performs controls relating tothe processing conducted by processing execution unit 1002, and aregister group 1004 that stores contexts of the tasks to be executed.

Register group 1004 is a collection of registers, each of which is forstoring a context (i.e. a register value group) corresponding to a task.

Every time a new context is stored in register group 1004, processingexecution unit 1002 obtains a program and data based on the new context,and executes a task.

Processing control unit 1003 saves a context already stored in registergroup 1004 by overwriting context memory 1010, judges which contextshould be targeted for storage in register group 1004, and restores acontext by reading a targeted context from context memory 1010 based onthe judgment and writing the read context into register group 1004.

As a result, it is necessary to interrupt the execution of tasks byprocessing execution unit 1002 for the duration of the saving, judgingand restoring (i.e. updating of contexts) by processing control unit1003.

FIG. 33 shows the execution of tasks in processor 1001, and theinput/output of contexts between register group 1004 and context memory1010.

Time flows from left to right in this diagram.

Here, the tasks are executed uniformly in the sequence task A, task B,task C and task D, and the processing returns to task A after task D.

Conventionally, when tasks are executed, the saving, judging andrestoring described above are performed before a task is executed.

In other words, the saving, judging and restoring are incurred as anoverhead in the execution of tasks.

Here, if a single processing cycle is defined as the processing fromtasks A to D, the above OS regulates the execution sequence and timingof the tasks (i.e. schedules the tasks) in a single cycle.

Processing control unit 1003 determines, based on this schedule, acontext to be targeted for storage in register group 1004 (i.e. theabove judging).

By performing the above processing, it is possible for a plurality oftasks to be processed in a pseudo-parallel manner by a single processor.

Furthermore, there also exist processors that use hardware to executethe above saving, judging and restoring, and then process a plurality oftasks in a pseudo-parallel manner.

However, when a plurality of tasks are processed in a pseudo-parallelmanner by a single processor as described above, efficient execution ofthe tasks cannot be conducted, because of the overhead incurred toperform the above saving, judging and restoring before a task isexecuted, and the subsequent time taken between completing one task andcommencing the next task, in comparison to when a single task isexecuted continuously.

Particularly in the case of broadcasting devices and the like, such astelevision receivers and communication devices (e.g. mobile telephones),it is necessary for data processing to be executed under near realtimeconditions. However, when a plurality of tasks are processed in apseudo-parallel manner in devices such as these, it is difficult torealize the above near realtime execution of data processing usingconventional task execution methods that incur the above overhead.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above issue, a first object of the present invention isto provide a processor capable of executing tasks (i.e. programs)efficiently when a plurality of tasks are executed in a pseudo-parallelmanner by a single processor.

Furthermore, a second object is to provide a program execution methodcapable of executing tasks efficiently.

To achieve the first object, a processor is for sequentially executing aplurality of programs using a plurality of register value groups storedin a memory that correspond one-to-one with the programs, and theprocessor includes: a plurality of register groups; a select/switch unitoperable to select one of the plurality of register groups as anexecution target register group on which a program execution is based,and to switch the selection target every time a first predeterminedperiod elapses; a restoring unit operable to restore, every time theswitching is performed, one of the register value groups into one of theregister groups that is not selected as the execution target registergroup; a saving unit operable to save, prior to the restoring, registervalues in the register group targeted for restoring, by overwriting aregister value group in the memory that corresponds to the registervalues; and a program execution unit operable to execute, every time theswitching is performed, a program corresponding to a register valuegroup in the execution target register group.

According to this structure, a register value group is restored into aregister group other than the execution target register group withoutaffecting the current program execution. Then, when a program is to beexecuted based on this register group, the program can be promptlyreadied for execution because the overheads associated with restoring,saving, and the like have been eliminated, and thus the program isexecuted quickly.

Furthermore, as a result of the elimination of these overheads, programexecution periods are not affected, even when the switching is conductedfrequently, and thus this structure is effective in parallel executionby pseudo-realtime processing.

Here, the program execution unit may start the executing when theswitching is performed.

According to this structure, when a program is to be executed, theprogram is executed promptly, and virtually all overheads areeliminated.

Here, processor may further include a first obtaining unit operable toobtain sequence information that shows a sequence of the register valuegroups corresponding to the programs, and the restoring unit maydetermine, based on the sequence information, a register value group tobe restored, and perform the restoring.

According to this structure, an execution sequence of the programs isdetermined by the sequence information.

Here, the first predetermined period may be determined such that, if therestoring is performed on all of the register value groups in thesequence shown in the sequence information, a total time period that therestored register groups are selected as the execution target registergroup is within a second predetermined period.

According to this structure, pseudo-parallel execution of a plurality ofprocessing operations is conducted within a limited time period.

In other words, this structure is effective in pseudo-parallel realtimeprocessing and the like in which the processing time is limited.

Here, the sequence information may be a table in which identificationinformation unique to each register value group is arrayed in apredetermined order, and the sequence may be shown by the order of thearrayed identification information.

According to this structure, a restore sequence of the register valuegroups is shown by an order of the arrayed identification information,and this restore sequence can be altered by changing an order of thearray.

Here, the table may include identification information that isidentical, the identical identification information may be arrayed so asto be dispersed throughout the array, and the number of pieces ofidentical identification information in the array may be unique for eachprogram corresponding to a register value group specified by a piece ofidentification information.

According to this structure, an execution timing of each of the programsis equalized.

Here, the plurality of programs may include a management program that isfor judging whether the table requires changing, and for changing thetable when required, and the number of pieces of identificationinformation in the array that specify a location of a register valuegroup corresponding to the management program may be only one.

According to this structure, there is an opportunity to change the tablewhenever pseudo-parallel execution is conducted.

Here, the first predetermined period may be unique for each program,each piece of identification information may have appended a piece oftime period information that shows the unique time period of a programcorresponding to a register value group specified by the piece ofidentification information, and the management program may perform thechanging such that a total of the unique time periods is within thesecond predetermined period.

According to this structure, the unique time periods are updated by amanagement program, so that pseudo-parallel execution of a plurality ofprocessing operations is conducted within a limited time period.

Here, when judged during execution of the management program that thetable requires changing, the program execution unit may generate a dummytable showing a state of the table after the changing, and perform thechanging by replacing the table with the dummy table.

According to this structure, it is possible to change the table withoutaffecting the current program execution.

Here, the plurality of programs may include an image processing programfor executing image processing, and the number of pieces ofidentification information in the array that specify a location of aregister value group corresponding to the image processing program maybe greater than that of the other programs.

According to this structure, an image-processing program having a largeinformation volume is allotted a longer processing period in total.

Here, the identification information may be address values that showstorage locations of the register value groups, and the restoring unitmay specify, based on the address values, a location of a register valuegroup for restoring, and perform the restoring.

According to this structure, it is possible to show a restore sequenceof the register value groups by the relative size of the address values.

Here, the sequence information may be a table in which theidentification information unique to each register value group hasattached pointers that point to other identification information, andthe sequence may be shown by following the pointers.

According to this structure, a restore sequence of the register valuegroups is shown by pointers, and this sequence can be altered bychanging the targets indicated by the pointers.

Here, the processor may further include a first detecting unit operableto detect an occurrence of a suspend-cause that results in the programexecution being suspended; and a second detecting unit operable todetect a cancellation of the suspend-cause, and when the occurrence of asuspend-cause relating to a program for execution is detected, theprogram execution unit may relinquish, until the suspend-cause iscancelled, an execution period to be allotted for execution of theprogram.

According to this structure, meaningless program execution is avoided.

Here, there may be a plurality of the suspend-causes, the suspend-causeeffective as a trigger of the relinquishing may be unique for eachprogram, and the program execution unit may only perform therelinquishing when an effective suspend-cause of a currently executedprogram occurs.

According to this structure, it is judged for each program whether toperform the relinquishing when a suspend-cause occurs.

Here, the processor may further include a second obtaining unit operableto obtain suspend information that corresponds (i) informationspecifying one of the plurality of suspend-causes with (ii) informationshowing whether the specified suspend-cause has occurred. Furthermore,the register value groups may each include setting information thatcorresponds (i) information specifying one of the plurality ofsuspend-causes with (ii) information showing whether the specifiedsuspend-cause is effective, and the program execution unit may refercomparatively to the suspend information and the setting information,and judge whether to perform the relinquishing.

According to this structure, an effective suspend-cause can bespecified, even when there is a plurality of suspend-causes.

Here, the suspend information may be bit string data in which a uniquebit position is determined for each suspend-cause, and in which each bitposition has a value that shows whether a suspend-cause corresponding tothe bit position has occurred, the setting information may be bit stringdata in which a unique bit position is determined for eachsuspend-cause, and in which each bit position has a value that showswhether a suspend-cause corresponding to the bit position is effective,and the program execution unit may only refers to a bit position of asuspend-cause in the suspend information that corresponds to a bitposition in the setting information that has a value showing thesuspend-cause to be effective.

According to this structure, the reference range is limited, and thus aneffective suspend-cause can be promptly specified, even when there is aplurality of suspend-causes.

Here, the program execution unit may notify the restoring unit at a timeof performing the relinquishing, and the restoring unit may perform therestoring while ignoring an order in the sequence of a register valuegroup corresponding to the program that has been targeted for therelinquishing, by not targeting the register value group for restoringuntil the suspend-cause is cancelled.

According to this structure, unnecessary restoring of register valuegroups is avoided.

Here, when notified of the relinquishing, the restoring unit mayexceptionally set the ignored register value group as a priority restoretarget candidate in a second performing of the restoring after thenotification. Furthermore, if the suspend-cause is cancelled before thestart of the second restoring, the restoring unit may determine theregister value group as the restore target, and if the suspend-cause isnot cancelled before the start of the second restoring, the restoringunit may continue to ignore the register value group until thesuspend-cause is cancelled.

According to this structure, it is possible to execute another effectiveprogram during a relinquished time period.

Here, when a plurality of register value groups are ignored by therestoring unit, and the suspend-cause is cancelled with respect to twoor more of the plurality of register value groups, the restoring unitmay set, as the restore target when the restoring is next performed,whichever of the two or more register value groups was ignored later.

According to this structure, the restoring of an ignored register groupat a biased time after the cancellation of a suspend-cause is avoided.

Here, the program execution unit may notify the select/switch unit at atime of performing the relinquishing, and the select/switch unit mayperform the switching when the notification is received.

According to this structure, it is possible for execution of asubsequent program to be promptly started when the relinquishing isconducted.

Here, the suspend-cause may be a cache-miss occurring at a time of aprogram execution.

According to this structure, the execution of a subsequent program ispromptly started when a cache-miss occurs.

Here, the suspend-cause may be a state of waiting for a processingresult from an external apparatus that was requested to performprocessing at a time of a program execution.

According to this structure, the execution of a subsequent program ispromptly started when the above state occurs.

Here, the suspend-cause may be a state of waiting for a release of ashared resource, when the shared resource is required at a time of aprogram execution.

According to this structure, the execution of a subsequent program ispromptly started when the above state occurs.

Here, the program execution unit may have a CPU for use in programexecution, and stop the CPU during an execution period of therelinquishing.

According to this structure, wasted power consumption is avoided.

Here, the program execution unit may have a CPU for use in programexecution, and reduce the drive frequency of the CPU during an executionperiod of the relinquishing.

According to this structure, wasted power consumption is reduced.

Here, the program execution unit may have a CPU for use in programexecution, and adjust the drive frequency of the CPU in accordance witha program execution load when the plurality of programs are executed,such that a free processing time period does not occur due to aprocessing capacity of the CPU being too high with respect to theprogram execution load.

According to this structure, wasted power consumption is reduced.

Here, there may be two register groups, and the select/switch unit mayperform the switching alternately with respect to the two registergroups.

According to this structure, pseudo-parallel execution of a plurality ofprograms is conducted using only two register groups, while at the sametime eliminating overheads.

In other words, two register groups is sufficient, irrespective of thenumber of program to be executed in a pseudo-parallel manner.

Here, the program execution unit may perform pipeline processing havingN number of stages, and the saving unit may perform the saving (N−1)clocks after a clock in which the switching was performed.

According to this structure, even when pipeline processing is executed,pseudo-parallel execution of a plurality of programs can be conducted,while at the same time eliminating overheads.

Here, the select/switch unit may determine the selection target from theplurality of register groups by a predetermined sequence, and performthe switching. Furthermore, the restoring unit may determine the restoretarget from the plurality of register groups by a predeterminedsequence, and perform the restoring.

According to this structure, programs are promptly readily for executionbecause overheads related to restoring, saving and the like have beeneliminated, and thus the execution of programs can be quickly completed.

Here, there may exist a plurality of candidate register value groupsthat are candidates for the restoring, and a unique priority level maybe corresponded to each candidate register value group. Furthermore, therestoring unit may determine, based on the priority levels, the restoretarget from the plurality of candidate register value groups, andperform the restoring.

According to this structure, a candidate register value group to be therestore target is determined from a plurality of candidate registervalue group, based on the priority levels.

In other words, the flexibility of the restoring is improved as a resultof the restore target not being fixed.

Here, each candidate register value group may be included in one of aplurality of restore groups, a unique estimated execution period may becorresponded to each restore group, the restoring unit may determine,for each restore group, a candidate register value group included in therestore group as the restore target, and the select/switch unit mayprincipally set, as a time interval from an m^(th) to an m+1^(th)performing of the switching, an estimated execution period of a restoregroup that includes a register value group in the execution targetregister group by the select/switch unit in the m^(th) switching, wherem is a natural number.

According to this structure, an estimated execution period correspondedto each restore group is set as the interval between the switchingperformed by the select/switch unit.

Here, the processor may further include a first detecting unit operableto detect an occurrence of a suspend-cause that results in the programexecution being suspended; and a second detecting unit operable todetect a cancellation of the suspend-cause, and when the occurrence of asuspend-cause relating to a program for execution is detected, theprogram execution unit may relinquish, until the suspend-cause iscancelled, an execution period to be allotted for execution of theprogram.

According to this structure, it is possible to avoid the programexecution unit attempting to execute a program with respect to which asuspend-cause suspending the program execution has occurred.

Here, the select/switch unit may perform the switching exceptionally,when the relinquishing is performed by the program execution unit.

According to this structure, a program corresponding to restoredregister value group is immediately executed when the relinquishing isconducted.

Here, the program execution unit may notify the select/switch unit at atime of performing the relinquishing, and the select/switch unit mayperform the switching exceptionally, based on the notification.

According to this structure, the switching is performed exceptionally inthe select/switch unit as a result of the notification being received.

Here, at a time of determining the restore target from the plurality ofcandidate register value groups, the restoring unit may remove, as apotential restore target, a candidate register value group correspondingto a program that has been targeted for the relinquishing, until thesuspend-cause is cancelled.

According to this structure, it is possible to avoid the programexecution unit attempting to execute, next time, a program with respectto which a suspend-cause suspending the program execution has occurred.

Here, the restoring unit may determine, from the candidate registervalue groups that have not been removed, a candidate register valuegroup having the highest priority level as the restore target.

According to this structure, a program corresponding to a register valuegroup to be restored is limited to programs with respect to which asuspend-cause has not occurred, and since the program has a highpriority level corresponded, it can be executed with great efficiency.

Here, the processor may further include a third obtaining unit operableto obtain information that designates a priority level in each restoregroup, and when the obtaining is performed by the third obtaining unit,the restoring unit may determine, as the restore target, a candidateregister value group that has not been removed and that corresponds tothe designated priority level.

According to this structure, a register value group to be the restoretarget is altered by changing the designated priority levels.

Here, the processor may further include a third obtaining unit operableto obtain information that designates a priority level in each restoregroup, and when the obtaining is performed by the third obtaining unit,the restoring unit may determine, as the restore target, a candidateregister value group that has not been removed and that corresponds to apriority level that is higher than or equal to the designated prioritylevel.

According to this structure, the opportunity for program execution isimproved, because a program with respect to which a suspend-cause hasnot occurred and that is within a range including a specified prioritylevel, is executed.

Here, when a program is, as a result of a k^(th) performing of theswitching, to be executed for the first time after the relinquishing hasbeen stopped, the select/switch unit may set, as a time interval fromthe k^(th) to a k+1^(th) performing of the switching, a time period thatwas not used in the program execution because of the switching beingbrought forward at a time of the relinquishing, where k is a naturalnumber.

According to this structure, when a time period remains unused, thistime period is consumed when the program is next executed.

Here, the processor may further include a pre-cache unit operable towrite, into an external cache for a duration that the relinquishing isperformed, data required for executing a program that corresponds to aregister value group stored in a register group to be selected as theexecution target register group when the relinquishing is stopped.

According to this structure, the occurrence of a cache-miss at a nextprogram execution time is prevented.

Here, the processor may further include a garbage collection unitoperable to perform garbage collection for a duration that therelinquishing is performed.

According to this structure, the occurrence of a memory-release wait atthe next program execution time is prevented.

Here, the processor may further include a fourth obtaining unit operableto obtain an execution request for a program that is to be executednon-steadily; and a first judging unit operable to judge, when theexecution request is obtained by the fourth obtaining unit, whether theprogram whose execution has been requested is a common-processingprogram that is executable during the execution of any other program.

According to this structure, when an execution request for acommon-processing program is received, it is recognized that the programis executable during execution of any of the programs.

Here, when judged by the first judging unit that the program whoseexecution has been requested is a common-processing program, the programexecution unit may interrupt a program currently being executed andexecutes the common-processing program, and when the common-processingprogram has been executed, the select/switch unit may not include theexecution period of the common-processing program in the executionperiod of the program currently being executed.

According to this structure, the execution period of a currentlyexecuted program is not affected by the interrupt execution of acommon-processing program.

Here, the select/switch unit may not include the execution period of thecommon-processing program in the execution period of the currentlyexecuted program, by stopping a time measurement counter for a durationthat the common-processing is executed.

According to this structure, a time period consumed in the interruptexecution of a common-processing program can easily be removed (i.e. notincluded) in a consumed amount of the estimated execution period of acurrently executed program.

Here, the common-processing may be processing that results from ahandling of a shared resource, and the select/switch unit may stop theswitching for a duration from a start to an end of the common-processingexecution.

According to this structure, a time period consumed in the interruptoperation of a shared resource can be easily removed (i.e. not included)in a consumed amount of the estimated execution period of a currentlyexecuted program.

Here, the processor may further include a fourth obtaining unit operableto obtain an execution request for a program that is to be executednon-steadily; and a second judging unit operable to judge, when theexecution request is obtained by the fourth obtaining unit, whether theprogram for non-steady execution is a specific-processing program thatis to be executed following the execution of a specific program.

According to this structure, when an execution request for aspecific-processing program is received, it is recognized that theprogram is executable during the execution of a specific program.

Here, when judged by the second judging unit that the program whoseexecution is requested is a specific-processing program, the programexecution unit may execute the specific-processing program following theexecution of the specific program, and when the specific-processingprogram has been executed, the select/switch unit may include a timeperiod consumed to execute the specific-processing program in theconsumed time period of an estimated execution period corresponded tothe specific program.

According to this structure, an execution period of the specific programis affected by the interrupt execution of a specific-processing program,and shortened as a result.

Furthermore, efficient program execution can be conducted, because whenan execution request for a specific-processing program is received theprogram execution unit (i.e. the CPU) does not have to judge whether ornot to accept the request.

Here, when judged by the second judging unit that the program whoseexecution is requested is a specific-processing program, the programexecution unit may execute the specific-processing program following theexecution of the specific program. Furthermore, when thespecific-processing program has been executed, the select/switch unitmay not include a first consumed time period consumed to execute thespecific-processing program in a second consumed time period of anestimated execution period corresponded to the specific program, andwhen the specific program is next executed, the select/switch unit mayinclude the first consumed time period in a third consumed time periodof the estimated execution period corresponded to the specific program.

According to this structure, when an execution request for aspecific-processing program is received, the execution period of aspecific program is not affected by the interrupt execution of thespecific-processing program. Then, when the specific program is nextexecuted, the execution period of the specific program is affected bythe interrupt execution of the specific-processing program, andshortened as a result.

In other words, consecutive interrupt processing operations can beprocessed promptly without being suspended.

Here, the processor may further include a third detecting unit operableto detect an occurrence of an execution request for an event-useprogram. Furthermore, the plurality restore groups may include a firstrestore group to which an order is corresponded, and a second restoregroup to which an order is not corresponded, an event-use register valuegroup that corresponds to the event-use program may be included in thesecond restore group. Moreover, the restoring unit (i) may normallyperform the determining sequentially starting with the first restoregroup based on the order corresponded to the first restore group, and(ii) may interrupt the order when the occurrence of an execution requestfor an event-use program is detected by the third detecting unit, anddetermine the event-use register value group as the restore target.

According to this structure, when an execution request for an event-useprogram occurs, it is possible to execute the event-use programimmediately.

Here, when the occurrence of an execution request for an event-useprogram is detected by the third detecting unit, the restoring unit mayrestore the event-use register value group into one of the registergroups that is not selected as the execution target register group, andthe select/switch unit may perform the switching exceptionally, when therestoring of the event-use register value group is completed.

According to this structure, when an execution request for an event-useprogram occurs, the event-use program is executed immediately.

Here, the processor may further include a first adjustment unit operableto adjust the execution period of a program, so as to recuperate, whenthe program is next executed, a time period that was relinquished as aresult of the switching being performed exceptionally during a previousexecution of the program.

According to this structure, the execution period of a program isadjusted to recuperate a relinquished time period, and thus theexecution period of the program is guaranteed, even when relinquishingis conducted.

Here, the processor may further include a second adjustment unitoperable, when an execution frequency of the event-use program exceeds athreshold, to delay the determining of the event-use register valuegroup by the restoring unit, and to adjust the execution frequency so asnot to exceed the threshold.

According to this structure, it is possible to suppress reductions inthe execution frequency of a program corresponding to a register valuegroup that belongs to the first restore group.

Here, the processor may further include a third judging unit for judgingwhether the switching of the selection target is currently possible, andwhen the select/switch unit attempts to perform the switching and thethird judging unit judges that switching is not currently possible, theselect/switch unit may delay the switching until the third judging unitjudges that switching is currently possible.

According to this structure, a program can be completed normally.

Here, the processor may further include a third adjustment unit operableto subtract, from an estimated execution period that corresponds to aspecific restore group, a time period by which the estimated executionperiod is exceeded as a result of the delaying by the select/switchunit.

According to this structure, it is possible to prevent a breakdown inthe program execution periods caused by the accumulation of exceededtime periods.

In other words, the actual execution period of a program correspondingto register values that belongs to a restore group other than a specificrestore group is set to be greater than or equal to an estimatedexecution period corresponded to the register group, and thus theexecution period of the program is guaranteed.

Here, a unique order may be corresponded to each restore group, and therestoring unit may sequentially perform the determining based on theorder corresponded to the restore group.

According to this structure, programs are executed in an ordercorresponded to each restore group.

Here, the processor may further include a changing unit operable tochange priority levels corresponded to the candidate register valuegroups.

According to this structure, the program for execution can easily bechanged.

Here, the processor may further include a first detecting unit operableto detect an occurrence of a suspend-cause that results in the programexecution being suspended; a second detecting unit operable to detect acancellation of the suspend-cause; and a power-consumption reducing unitoperable to reduce a power consumption of hardware for executingprograms. Furthermore, when the occurrence of a suspend-cause relatingto a program for execution is detected, the program execution unit mayrelinquish, until the suspend-cause is cancelled, an execution period tobe allotted for execution of the program, and the power-consumptionreducing unit may perform the reducing for a duration that therelinquishing is performed.

According to this structure, the reducing by the power-consumptionreducing unit is performed during a relinquished time period of anestimate execution period of a currently executed program, in order toachieve power reductions.

Furthermore, by doing nothing in a time period leftover as a result ofthe execution-suspension of a program, it is possible to maintain, asmuch as possible, uniform execution cycles (i.e. maintain periodicity)of the programs.

Here, the program execution unit may have a CPU for executing programs,and the power-consumption reducing unit may perform the reducing for theduration that the relinquishing is performed by blocking a clock signalsupplied to the CPU.

According to this structure, the power reductions can be easilyachieved.

Here, the program execution unit may have a CPU for executing programs,and the power-consumption reducing unit may perform the reducing for theduration that the relinquishing is performed by reducing a voltageapplied to the CPU or setting the voltage to zero.

According to this structure, the power reductions can be easilyachieved.

Here, the processor may further include a receiving unit for receivingan execution request for a program that is to be executed non-steadily,and the power-consumption reducing unit may stop the reducing if thereducing is being performed when the execution request is received.

According to this structure, an execution request relating to a programother than a program for urgent execution is not accepted, and thus itis possible to omit the program execution-required judgment processingby the program execution unit (i.e. the CPU), and to conduct programexecution efficiently.

Here, the execution request may be an interrupt-processing request.

According to this structure, it is possible to stop the reducing by thepower-consumption reducing unit when an interrupt-processing requestoccurs.

Here, the execution request may be an event-processing request forurgently executing a program following the exceptional switching by theselect/switch unit.

According to this structure, it is possible to stop the reduction by thepower-consumption reducing unit when an event-processing request occurs.

Here, the restoring unit may copy the register value groups stored inthe memory, and perform the restoring. Furthermore, following theprogram execution, the program execution unit may change one or moreregister value restored into the execution target register group, andthe saving unit may only perform the saving when the changing has beenperformed by the program execution unit.

According to this structure, only changed register values are saved, andthus a time period required for the saving is shortened.

Here, each register of the plurality of register groups may haveattached a piece of change information showing whether a register valuerestored into the register has been changed, and the saving unit mayperform the saving by writing, based on the change information, only achanged register value into a location, in the memory, in which theregister value prior to being changed is stored.

According to this structure, the existence of a change is easilyrecognized and only changed register values are saved, and thus a timeperiod required for the saving can be shortened.

Here, each piece of change information may be a 1-bit flag.

According to this structure, changes are shown by the flags.

Here, the first predetermined period may be a fixed time period.

According to this structure, the switching is facilitated.

Here, the first predetermined period may be unique for each of theplurality of programs.

According to this structure, it is possible to allot a program executionperiod suitable for the execution of each program.

Here, the processor may further include a plurality of caches forstoring execution data that is required in the program execution; aspecifying unit operable to refer, following the restoring by therestoring unit, to a register value group that was restored, and tospecify the execution data of a program that corresponds to the registervalue group; and a writing unit operable to write the specifiedexecution data into one of the caches that is not being used in theprogram execution.

According to this structure, the occurrence of a cache-miss is avoided.

To achieve the second object, a program execution method is forexecuting a program in a processor, the processor including a pluralityof register groups and sequentially executing a plurality of programsusing a plurality of register value groups stored in a memory thatcorrespond one-to-one with the programs, and the program executionmethod including: a select/switch step of selecting one of the pluralityof register groups as an execution target register group on which aprogram execution is based, and switching the selection target everytime a first predetermined period elapses; a restoring step ofrestoring, every time the switching is performed, one of the registervalue groups into one of the register groups that is not selected as theexecution target register group; a saving step of saving, prior to therestoring, register values in the register group targeted for restoring,by overwriting a register value group in the memory that corresponds tothe register values; and a program execution step of executing, everytime the switching is performed, a program corresponding to a registervalue group in the execution target register group.

According to this structure, a register value group is restored into aregister group other than the execution target register group, withoutaffecting the current program execution. Then, when a program is to beexecuted based on this register group, the program can be promptlyreadied for execution because the overheads associated with restoring,saving, and the like have been eliminated, and thus the program isexecuted quickly.

Furthermore, as a result of the elimination of these overheads, theprogram execution periods are not affected, even when the switching isconducted frequently, and thus this structure is effective in parallelexecution by pseudo-realtime processing.

Furthermore, the processor may be for sequentially executing a pluralityof programs using a plurality of register value groups that correspondone-to-one with the programs, and the processor may include a pluralityof register groups for storing the register value groups; aselect/switch unit operable to select one of the plurality of registergroups as an execution target register group on which a programexecution is based, and to switch the selection target every time apredetermined period elapses; and a program execution unit operable toexecute, every time the switching is performed, a program correspondingto a register value group in the execution target register group.

Furthermore, the program execution method may be for executing a programin a processor, the processor may include a plurality of register groupsand sequentially execute a plurality of programs using a plurality ofregister value groups that correspond one-to-one with the programs, andthe program execution method may include: a select/switch step ofselecting one of the plurality of register groups as an execution targetregister group on which a program execution is based, and switching theselection target every time a predetermined period elapses; and aprogram execution step of executing, every time the switching isperformed, a program corresponding to a register value group in theexecution target register group.

According to these structures, it is possible to execute programsquickly without affecting the execution period of each of the programs,and thus because a plurality of programs are executed rapidly while atthe same time being frequently switched every time a predeterminedperiod elapses, this structure is effective in realizing parallelexecution by pseudo-realtime processing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description thereof taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate specificembodiments of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a virtual multiprocessor 100according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a data structure of contexts and a table stored in acontext memory;

FIG. 3 depicts flags in a completion notification flag group and asetting flag group;

FIG. 4 shows a relationship between tasks and plates;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart that shows processing performed in the virtualmultiprocessor;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart that shows flag judgment processing;

FIG. 7 depicts, in time series, the processing performed in the virtualmultiprocessor;

FIG. 8 shows a data structure of a table that uses a pointer to show anexecution sequence;

FIG. 9 shows, in time series, a plate execution status when the flagjudgment processing is performed with priority given to a context of asleeping plate;

FIG. 10 shows, in time series, a plate execution status when the flagjudgment processing is performed with priority given to a context of aplate that was put to sleep latest;

FIG. 11 shows a data structure of an execution sequence table in whichan initial value of a count value is attached to a context address;

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram of a cycle counter;

FIG. 13 shows an example of four-stage pipeline processing;

FIG. 14 shows a plate execution flow when the execution sequence of asleeping plate is set at the head of the sequence for priority executionwithin the next period of plate execution immediately after being put tosleep;

FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram of a virtual multiprocessoraccording to a second embodiment;

FIG. 16 shows information content stored in a time-allocationinformation storage register and an LP-state storage register;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart that shows processing performed in the virtualmultiprocessor of the second embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart that shows a content of time-driven schedulingperformed by a scheduling control unit;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart that shows a content of event-driven schedulingperformed by the scheduling control unit;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart that shows a content of interrupt processing;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart that shows a relinquish scheduling content;

FIG. 22A shows a basic cycle value in each timeslot;

FIG. 22B depicts the reviewing of a basic cycle value by basic cycleadjustment processing;

FIG. 23A shows a normal program execution state when a program executionperiod is not relinquished;

FIG. 23B shows a program execution state when a program execution periodis relinquished and time-option information shows “LP_SWITCH”;

FIG. 23C shows a program execution state when a program execution periodis relinquished and the time-option information of an LP1 shows“TS_SWITCH”;

FIG. 23D shows a program execution state when a program execution periodis relinquished and the time-option information of LP1 shows“MICRO-SLEEP”;

FIG. 24A depicts a status of a program execution based on idle-optioninformation in a time-driven timeslot when there is no effectivecandidate program;

FIG. 24B shows a program execution state when there is no effectivecandidate program and the idle-option information of LP1 shows “SWITCH”;

FIG. 24C shows a program execution state in a TS1 when there is noeffective candidate program and the idle-option information of LP1 shows“MICRO-SLEEP”;

FIG. 25A shows a program execution status when there is a sleepingtimeslot;

FIG. 25B shows a program execution status when a wait-state of a programallotted to a sleeping timeslot is cancelled, and a wakeup timing of theprogram shows “n”;

FIG. 26A shows an execution status of a program when a sleeping timeslotis provided;

FIG. 26B shows an execution status of a program when a wait-state of aprogram allotted to a sleeping timeslot is cancelled, and a wakeuptiming of the program shows “e”;

FIG. 27A shows a program execution state when an event-processingrequest is not generated;

FIG. 27B shows an execution status of a program when an event-processingrequest is generated, and a wakeup timing of a program for executing theevent processing shows “n”;

FIG. 27C shows an execution status of a program when an event-processingrequest is generated, and a wakeup timing of a program for executing theevent processing shows “e”;

FIG. 28A shows a program execution state when a commoninterrupt-processing request is not generated;

FIG. 28B shows a program execution state when a commoninterrupt-processing request is generated;

FIG. 29A shows program execution state when a uniqueinterrupt-processing request is not generated;

FIG. 29B shows an execution state of unique interrupt processing when aprogram other than the program for executing the unique interruptprocessing is being executed at the time that a uniqueinterrupt-processing request is generated;

FIG. 29C shows an execution state of unique interrupt processing when aprogram for executing the unique interrupt processing is being executedat the time that a unique interrupt-processing request is generated;

FIG. 30A shows program execution state when a uniqueinterrupt-processing request is not generated;

FIG. 30B shows an execution state, in a k^(th) cycle, of uniqueinterrupt processing by a method other than that of the first and secondembodiments when a unique interrupt-processing request is generated inthe k^(th) cycle;

FIG. 30C shows an execution state, in a k+1^(th) cycle, of uniqueinterrupt processing by a method other than that of the first and secondembodiments when a unique interrupt-processing request is generated inthe k^(th) cycle;

FIG. 31A shows a structure of functional units for reducing powerconsumption according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 31B shows a further exemplary structure of functional units forreducing power consumption by a method other than that of the secondembodiment;

FIG. 31C shows a further exemplary structure of functional units forreducing power consumption by a method other than that of the secondembodiment;

FIG. 31D shows a further exemplary structure of functional units forreducing power consumption by a method other than that of the secondembodiment;

FIG. 32 is a functional block diagram of a conventional processor;

FIG. 33 shows the execution of tasks in the conventional processor, andthe input/output of contexts between a register group and a contextmemory; and

FIG. 34 shows the connection between an external processor 30 andvirtual multiprocessor 100 according to the first embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment 1.Structure

A detailed description of a first embodiment according to the presentembodiment will now be given with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a virtual multiprocessor 100according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Virtual multiprocessor 100 is a processor that executes a sequentialswitching of plates.

Here, a plate is a unit that collects together one or more tasks, beingeither conventional tasks or scheduling units of an OS, and is what theprocessor targets for execution.

Each plate has a single execution position (i.e. a single commandposition within a program).

FIG. 1 also shows a context memory 200 storing addresses and othercontrol information (i.e. contexts) that shows, for each plate, a valueof a program counter indicating an execution position of a programcorresponding the plate, and a storage location of the program and data.

Here, the execution of a program corresponding to a plate is referred toas “executing a plate”.

Context memory 200 is constituted by a SRAM, and includes a contextstorage area 201 storing the contexts of a plurality of plates, and anexecution-sequence-table storage area 202 storing an execution sequencetable 300 that shows an execution sequence of the plates.

Execution sequence table 300 is a table that determines an executionschedule of the plates, and is generated by a management applicationprogram (hereafter, “management application”) included in one of theplates. Table 300 is an array of values relating to a plurality ofmemory addresses (hereafter, “context addresses”) in context storagearea 201, and in each respective location shown by these context addressvalues are the contexts necessary for executing the plates.

Here, addresses in execution-sequence-table storage area 202 that showthe physical storage location of each context address value are referredto as a “table addresses”.

The above table addresses are shown by numeric values, and the relativesize of these numeric values corresponds to the sequence in the abovearray of context addresses stored in the locations specified by thetable addresses.

In other words, in a single scheduling cycle, the plates are executed inascending order of the table address values, and thus a platecorresponding to a context address specified by the value of a contextaddress stored in a physical location shown by the smallest tableaddress value will be executed first.

Thus, in the case that the execution sequence of the plates is shown asA→B→C→A→D→C in execution sequence table 300, the execution of each ofthe plates will be completed within a single cycle, and the cycle willbe repeated a plurality of times.

Here, the processing time period of each of the plates is the same, andplates, such as plate A above, that require more processing time may beexecuted more than once in a single cycle.

FIG. 34 shows the connection between an external processor 30 andvirtual multiprocessor 100 according to the first embodiment.

Apart from the functional units described above, there are otherfunctional units relating to virtual multiprocessor 100 that are notdepicted.

Specifically, there exists a main memory 10, formed from SRAM, thatstores programs, data and the like, and a cache memory (not depicted),also formed from SRAM, that is connected between main memory 10 andvirtual multiprocessor 100, and that stores the above programs, data andthe like. The main memory and cache memory are connected to virtualmultiprocessor 100 via a bus 700.

Virtual multiprocessor 100 executes a plurality of plates in apseudo-parallel manner, and sometimes requests external processor 30 toprocess one of the plurality of plates. External processor 30 isconnected to virtual multiprocessor 100 via bus 700 in the same mannerdescribed above.

In other words, as shown in FIG. 34, main memory 10 is connected toexternal processor 30 by bus 700, and virtual multiprocessor 100 isconnected to external processor 30 via main memory 10.

Virtual multiprocessor 100 writes input data for processing executed byexternal processor 30 into main memory 10 via bus 700, and reads datathat results from processing executed by external processor 30 from mainmemory 10 via bus 700.

Furthermore, external processor 30 reads input data for processing frommain memory 10, and writes data that results from processing into mainmemory 10.

An external-processing-request signal line 701 and anexternal-processing-completion signal line 702 are providedindependently of bus 700, and are connected to virtual multiprocessor100 and external processor 30.

More specifically, external-processing-request signal line 701 is asignal route for sending a processing request signal from virtualmultiprocessor 100 to external processor 30, andexternal-processing-completion signal line 702 is a signal route forsending a processing completion signal from external processor 30 tovirtual multiprocessor 100.

The transmission of these signals respectively allows for processingrequests to be made from virtual multiprocessor 100 to externalprocessor 30, and for notifications of processing completion to be madefrom external processor 30 to virtual multiprocessor 100.

Furthermore, virtual multiprocessor 100 has SIMD (single instructionmultiple data) architecture, and includes a processing execution unit110, a processing control unit 111, a register switching unit 112, aswitching control unit 113, a first register group 114, a secondregister group 115, a cycle counter 116, an external I/F (interface)117, a DMA (direct memory access) management unit 118, a completionnotification register 119, a control register 120, and a setting flagregister 121.

First register group 114 and second register group 115 each consist of acollection of registers for storing, respectively, program countervalues and register values (e.g. addresses showing program and datastorage locations) that form a content of the contexts.

Each register has a 1-bit storage area for storing an update flag thatshows whether a value of a program counter or the like stored in theregister has been updated.

The update flag shows a 1-value when a value has been updated and a0-value when a value has not been updated.

In a default state, the update flag in each of the registers in registergroups 114 and 115 has a 0-value.

In accordance with an instruction from switching control unit 113,register switching unit 112 selects one of register groups 114 and 115as a register group to be used when a program is executed (hereafter,“current register group”).

Here, the register group that is not selected as the current registergroup is referred to as a “standby register group”, and the switching ofthe selection target from the currently selected register group to theother register group is referred to as “register switching”.

When register switching is conducted (i.e. when a current register groupis selected), processing execution unit 110 specifies, based on acontext stored in the current register group, the location of a programto be executed and data required to execute the program, and instructsDMA management unit 118 to obtain the program and data.

Here, the given example is premised on the program and data beingobtained from cache memory. When the targeted data exists in cachememory (hereafter, a “cache hit”), or when a program or data is obtainedexceptionally from an external storage apparatus (described below),processing execution unit 110 obtains the program and data, and uses theprogram and data to execute a plate in accordance with an instructionfrom processing control unit 111.

There are occasions, however, when processing execution unit 110instructs DMA management unit 118 to exceptionally obtain a program ordata from an external storage apparatus (not depicted).

This external storage apparatus can be accessed (e.g. read/written) byanother input/output apparatus (not depicted) or the like, and in thecase that the external storage apparatus is accessed by a plurality ofapparatuses, the time required for accessing is different to when accessis conducted by a single apparatus (the access time for a plurality ofapparatuses being longer).

On the other hand, when the targeted data does not exist in cache memory(hereafter, a “cache miss”), or when judged that accessing the externalstorage apparatus will take time, processing execution unit 110 notifiesprocessing control unit 111 of the cache miss, and performs thefollowing processing in accordance with an instruction from processingcontrol unit 111.

Following the execution of a plate, processing execution unit 110updates values stored in a register that require updating (i.e. programcounter and the like), and sets the update flag in the register havingan updated value to a 1-value.

Furthermore, when a wait-cause (described below) occurs during executionof a plate, processing execution unit 110 outputs to switching controlunit 113 via processing control unit 111, a notification showing thatthe plate has been put to “sleep” (described below), and changes asetting flag (described below) in setting flag register 121 thatcorresponds to a category of the wait-cause to a 1-value.

Also, when the wait-cause occurs, processing execution unit 110 requestsexternal processor 30 to execute processing.

Furthermore, when a processing result is received from externalprocessor 30, processing execution unit 110 outputs, to switchingcontrol unit 113 via processing control unit 111, a notification showingthat processing was requested of external processor 30 and that theplate has been put to sleep.

At this time, switching control unit 113 outputs a processing requestsignal (described below) to external I/F 117.

FIG. 1 shows a state of virtual multiprocessor 100 and context memory200 at an arbitrary point in time, and thus the fact that “(plate B)”appears alongside processing execution unit 110 in FIG. 1 shows that, atthe arbitrary point in time, a context corresponding to plate B isstored in first register group 114, and that first register group 114 isselected as the current register group.

The input/output of data within virtual multiprocessor 100, and theinput/output of data between external processor 30 and context memory200, main memory 10 and the cache memory is performed by a DMA transfer,and DMA management unit 118 controls the DMA transfer.

Furthermore, when DMA management unit 118 performs a DMA transfer basedon a request from one of the functional units, and the DMA transfer iscompleted, DMA management unit 118 outputs a signal (hereafter,“transfer-complete signal”) showing that the DMA transfer has beencompleted to switching control unit 113, attempts to obtain a programand data from cache memory, and if a cache miss occurs, DMA managementunit 118 outputs a signal (hereafter, “cache-miss signal”) showing thatthe cache miss has occurred to switching control unit 113.

Furthermore, DMA management unit 118 attempts to obtain a program ordata from an external storage apparatus (not depicted), and it is judgedthat access will take time (a large latency), unit 118 outputs a signal(hereafter, “memory-access delay signal”) to switching control unit 113showing that memory latency is large.

External I/F 117 is an interface connected to an external apparatus suchas external processor 30, and notifies switching control unit 113 of asignal received from an external source, an example of which includes asignal showing that processing allocated to external processor 30 hasbeen completed.

Furthermore, external I/F 117 notifies external processor 30 of, forexample, a processing request signal showing that processing has beenrequested of external processor 30.

In other words, as described above, when notified by switching controlunit 113 of a processing request signal, external I/F 117 outputs theprocessing request signal to external processor 30.

Processing control unit 111 controls processing execution unit 110 toexecute plates continuously from a start to an end of the plateexecution.

Cycle counter 116 includes a clock counter, and registers, as an initialvalue via switching control unit 113 and processing control unit 111, avalue (i.e. count value) determined by the execution in processingexecution unit 110 of a plate in which a management application isincluded.

Furthermore, cycle counter 116 conducts a countdown by decrementing avalue of “1” per clock starting from the initial value, and when thecount value reaches “0”, cycle counter 116 outputs a signal (hereafter,“zero-count signal/”) showing that the count value has reached zero, andrepeats the processing to commence the countdown after again setting theinitial value.

Here, the initial count value is a value common to each of the plates.

Control register 120 is a register for storing information thatspecifies a plate currently being executed and a plate to be executednext.

Specifically, control register 120 stores a value of a table address(hereafter, “current address”) of a physical location in which a valueof a context address corresponding to a plate currently being executedis stored, and a value of a table address (hereafter, “next address”) ofa physical location in which a value of a context address correspondingto a plate to be executed next is stored. Control register 120 alsostores a value of the smallest table address (hereafter, “table headaddress”) in execution-sequence table storage area 202, and a value ofthe largest table address (hereafter, “table end address”) in area 202.

It is to be noted that the prior art discloses for the use of software,triggered by the occurrence of a wait or a so-called interrupt resultingfrom a shared resource required to execute a task being used by anotherapparatus, to (i) suspend the task currently being executed and removeof the task from the execution sequence, (ii) vacate the executionperiod allotted to the task to another task, and (iii) reschedule theexecution sequence and execute the task when the cause that triggeredthe task suspension is cancelled.

According to the present invention, when a prescribed cause (hereafter,“wait-cause”) triggers the suspension of a plate execution, registerswitching is performed (i.e. plates are switched), “sleep” processing isexecuted to removed the switched plate from the execution sequence, andwhen the wait-cause is cancelled, “wakeup” processing is performed toattempt the execution of the plate.

In order to specify a wait-cause for triggering the wake-up processingwhen the above sleep and wakeup processing is performed, it is necessaryto know, for each plate, the wait-cause that causes the sleepprocessing.

Furthermore, when an interrupt request or the like arrives from anexternal source, it is necessary to know before receiving such arequest, whether the request should be processed.

For this purpose, a context in each plate has an area for storingsetting flags that show, for example, the category of the wait-causethat triggered the sleep processing, and whether to process an interruptrequest.

As such, the wait-cause has a plurality of categories, and there is asetting flag for each category, or in other words, a setting flag group.

This setting flag group is included in each context stored in contextstorage area 201.

Setting flag register 121 is a register for storing the respectivesetting flag groups included in two plates.

When the wait-cause occurs as a result, for example, from a request tosuspend a currently executed plate, or a request to suspend the plateexecution arriving from an external source, a setting flag (i.e. fromamong the plurality of setting flags included in a context correspondingto the currently executed plate) that corresponds to the category of thewait-cause is changed by processing execution unit 110 from 0-value to a1-value.

Among the requests to suspend the plate execution is a so-calledinterrupt request, although it is not always necessary to suspend acurrently executed plate when an interrupt occurs, and thus it isdetermined for each plate, whether to process the interrupt.

To realize this, in a plate that accepts interrupts, a 1-value (i.e.showing “interrupt enabled”) is stored in a setting flag that is forshowing whether to process an interrupt request from a program designer.

Completion notification register 119 is a register for storing flags(hereafter, “completion notification flags”) that respectively show, forexample, whether the wait-cause is currently cancelled, and whether aninterrupt request has occurred.

These completion notification flags are equal in number to the number ofsetting flags included in a single context, and correspond one-to-onewith the setting flags existing per category of the wait-cause.

In other words, a bit string length of a completion notification flaggroup composed of the completion notification flags is the same as a bitstring length of a setting flag group composed of the setting flags.Moreover, bits positioned an equal distance from a head of each bitstring store values that relate to the same wait-cause.

When a zero-count signal is received from cycle counter 116, or when anotification showing that a plate has been put to sleep is received fromprocessing execution unit 110, or when a cache-miss signal is receivedfrom DMA management unit 118, or when a memory-access delay signal isreceived, switching control unit 113 performs flag judgment processing(described below) in order to judges whether to leave the current valuein the next address as is, or whether to set the value of another tableaddress as a new next address value, and while reviewing the nextaddress value, unit 113 stores the next address value stored in controlregister 120 as a new current address value, stores the next largesttable address value (i.e. next largest after the current value of thenext address) as a new next address value, and instructs registerswitching unit 112 to perform the above register switching.

Furthermore, switching control unit 113 refers to the update flags ofeach register in the register group that is the current standby registergroup as a result of the register switching having been performed,instructs DMA management unit 118 to executed saving by overwriting aregister value stored in a register whose update flag has a 1-value intoa storage area in context storage area 201 that corresponds to thisregister value (i.e. the place from which the register value, prior tobeing changed, was read when stored in the register group), and performsflag judgment processing (described below).

Furthermore, following the saving, switching control unit 113 reads thesetting flag of the saved context from setting flag register 121, andsaves the value of the setting flag by overwriting a storage area incontext storage area 201 that corresponds to this setting flag (i.e. theplace from which the setting flag was read when stored in the settingflag register 121).

When the saving and flag judgment processing is completed, switchingcontrol unit 113 stores a context of a plate specified by a next addressvalue in control register 120 (i.e. unit 113 performs restoring).

At this time, switching control unit 113 clears the setting flag of eachregister to a 0-value.

Switching control unit 113 performs the saving, flag judgment processingand restoring in parallel with the execution of plates by processingexecution unit 110 using a context stored in the current register group.

The time span of the register switching is determined by a managementapplication or the like, so that the time period required to perform thesaving, flag judgment processing and restoring is shorter than the plateexecution period.

The details of the flag judgment processing in switching control unit113 will now be described.

Switching control unit 113 determines the position of a bit storing a1-value (hereafter, an “effective bit”) in the bit string of a settingflag group included in a context that exists in context storage area 201and that is specified by the next address value in control register 120.

Here, the processing to determine the position of the effective bit isreferred to as effective bit position retrieval processing.

When no effective bit is retrieved from the bit string of setting flaggroup, switching control unit 113 leaves the value of the next addressunchanged, and terminates the flag judgment processing.

When there is at least one effective bit in the bit string of settingflag group, switching control unit 113 refers to only a positioncorresponding to the position of the one or more effective bits in thebit string of completion notification flag group in completionnotification register 119, and if a 1-value is stored in all of thepositions corresponding to the position of the one or more effectivebits, switching control unit 113 leaves the value of the next addressunchanged, and terminates the flag judgment processing.

Here, “a position corresponding to the position of an effective bit”refers to a position (hereafter, “effective bit corresponding position”)distanced from the head of the bit string of the completion notificationflag group by the same number of bits as the effective bit is distancedfrom the head of the bit string of the setting flag group.

On the other hand, when a 0-value is stored in any of the effective bitscorresponding positions in the completion notification flag group,switching control unit 113 provisionally sets, as the new next addressvalue, the next largest table address value after the value of the nextaddress presently shown in execution-sequence-table storage area 202.

Then, after performing effective bit position retrieval processing withrespect to the setting flag included in the context specified by a valueof the provisional next address, switching control unit 113 repeatedlyperforms, until the flag judgment processing is completed, processing toreview the next address in accordance with a value of an effective bitcorresponding position in the completion notification flag group.

Here, when the value of the present next address is the value of thetable end address, the next largest table address value after the nextaddress value is the value of the table head address.

2. Data

The following description relates to data used in virtual multiprocessor100.

FIG. 2 shows a data structure of contexts and execution sequence table300 and stored in context memory 200.

Execution sequence table 300 shows a plurality of context address valuesof contexts stored in context storage area 201, and determines thephysical storage location of these context address values (i.e. theexecution sequence of plates whose table address is specified by acontext address).

In other words, the smaller the table address value allotted to theplace in which a context address is stored, the higher up will be theexecution sequence of the plate corresponding to the context address.

Although sometimes the execution sequence of the plates is skipped as aresult of the flag judgment processing, basically the plates areexecuted according the physical storage location of correspondingcontext address values (i.e. the sequence shown by the array), and afterthe plate specified by the count address (i.e. when the table endaddress is the count address) has been executed, the plate specified bysetting the table head address as the count address is executed.

In other words, the physical storage locations of a context addresses(i.e. the table addresses) shows one cycle of a plate executionsequence.

In FIG. 2, the table addresses have values from 2000 to 2005, and inthis case, the value of the table head address is 2000, and the value ofthe table end address is 2005.

The smaller the value of the table address in which a context address ofa plate is stored, the higher up is the execution sequence of the plate.

FIG. 3 depicts the flags in the completion notification flag group andthe setting flag group.

The completion notification flag group has a forced-waiting flag, aqueue-opening flag, an interrupt flag, a wait-instruction flag, anexternal-processing completion flag, a transfer-completion flag, and thelike.

The forced-waiting flag is a flag constantly storing a 0-value.

The queue-opening flag is a flag that shows whether a notificationshowing there to be no opening in a queue has arrived from an externaldevice for managing the queue, when, for example, an attempt is made toqueue a command or the like in a queue having few openings in terms ofcapacity. This flag has a 0-value when there is not space in the queue,and a 1-value when there is space in the queue.

The interrupt flag is a flag showing whether an interrupt request hasarrived from an external device. This flag has a default value of “1”when an interrupt request has not arrived, and is set to a 0-value byswitching control unit 113 when an interrupt request arrives.

The wait-instruction flag is a flag that shows whether an instructionhas been received from application software and the like to delay theplate execution. This flag has a default value of “1” when the aboveinstruction has not arrived, and is set to a 0-value by switchingcontrol unit 113 when the above instruction arrives.

The external-processing completion flag is a flag that shows whether anotification has arrived showing that requested processing has beencompleted (i.e. shows, for instance, the completion of a DMA transferthat was the cause for a cache-miss signal or a memory-access delaysignal to occur, or the completion of a DMA transfer requested by aprogram), when processing is requested of external processor 30 at atime of the plate execution. This flag has a default value of “0” when anotification has not arrived, and is set to a 1-value by switchingcontrol unit 113 when a notification arrives showing the completion ofthe requested processing.

The transfer-completion flag is a flag that shows whether a notificationhas arrived showing a DMA transfer to be completed. This flag has adefault value of “0” when a notification has not arrived, and is set toa 1-value by switching control unit 113 when a notification arrivesshowing the completion of a DMA transfer.

Here, with respect to each of the above flags, when a new plate isexecuted using a flag as a trigger, the value of the flag is reset tothe above default value by switching control unit 113 after the plate isexecuted.

The flags structuring the setting flag group correspond to the flags inthe completion notification flag group, and show whether to ignore acorresponding flag.

When a setting flag structuring the setting flag group included in acontext has a 0-value, a plate is executed based on the context, and thevalue of the corresponding completion notification flag is not affected.

Furthermore, when a setting flag has a 1-value, it is judged byswitching control unit 113 whether to set, as an execution target, aplate corresponding to a context that includes the setting flag.

Here, for example, a setting flag will store a 1-value if the wait-causeoccurred when a plate corresponding to a context that includes thissetting flag was previously executed, and this resulted the execution ofthe plate being suspended and the plate being reverted to a sleep stateuntil the wait-cause is cancelled.

Specifically, when corresponding completion notification and settingflags both have a 1-value, a plate corresponding to a context thatincludes the setting flag is targeted for execution, and whencorresponding completion notification and setting flags have a 0-valueand 1-value, respectively, the plate corresponding to the context is nottargeted for execution (i.e. the plate is removed from the executionsequence).

In other words, when corresponding completion notification and settingflags both have a 1-value, the plate corresponding to the context thatincludes the setting flag is “woken up” by switching control unit 113,and when corresponding completion notification and setting flags have a0-value and 1-value, respectively, the plate reverts to a sleep state.

Furthermore, when the setting flag has a 0-value, the a wait-causecategory corresponding to the place in which the 0-value is stored isignored by switching control unit 113, and a completion notificationflag corresponding to this wait-cause is not referred to.

FIG. 4 shows a relationship between tasks and plates.

On the software side there exist a plurality of tasks, and tasks forprocessing realtime are placed under the direct management of amanagement application and are not managed via the OS.

Here, a management application for updating the content of executionsequence table 300 is included in each task for processing realtime, andif, for example, new processing is to be executed when it comes time toexecute the task (i.e. plate), the content of execution sequence table300 is updated by processing execution unit 110.

In this way, every time a cycle of plates is executed, there is at leastone opportunity to review the scheduling of the tasks.

Specifically, every time a plate corresponding to a managementapplication is executed, the management application judges whether oneof the above condition has occurred, and if judged that a condition hasoccurred, the management generates a dummy table (i.e. an executionsequence table having new content) in execution-sequence-table storagearea 202, and updates the execution sequence table forming the basis ofplate execution by switching from the current execution sequence table300 to the dummy table.

On the other hand, tasks that do not require realtime processing arefirstly placed under the management of the OS, and then placed under themanagement of a management application.

A plate, on the hardware side, is a single execution unit in processingexecution unit 110, and may be a single task or a collection of aplurality of tasks, and the assigning of the plates is freelydeterminable by programming.

3. Operation

The following description relates to processing that realizes efficientplate execution in virtual multiprocessor 100 when plates are executedin a pseudo-parallel manner by a single processor.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart that shows processing performed in virtualmultiprocessor 100.

Switching control unit 113 refers to execution sequence table 300 incontext memory 200, and registers the table head address, the currentaddress, the next address and the table end address in control register120 (step S500).

Unit 113 clears all the values in first register group 114 and secondregister group 115 (step S501).

Unit 113 selects a current register group and a standby register groupfrom out of first and second register groups 114 and 115 (step S502).

Unit 113 then stores a context specified by the current address in thecurrent register group (step S503).

Next, unit 113 gives a plate execution instruction to processingexecution unit 110 via processing control unit 111, and as a result,processing execution unit 110 commences the plate execution based on thecontext stored in the current register group (step S504).

When the plate execution is started, cycle counter 116 starts acountdown from an initial value that is set as a result of the plateexecution (step S505).

Switching control unit 113 receives a signal input from external I/F 117and DMA management unit 118, and updates the value of the completionnotification flag in completion notification register 119 according tothe inputted signal (step S506).

Unit 113 then performs the flag judgment processing in order to set thevalue of the next address in control register 120 (step S507).

Next, unit 113 saves only the context in the registers structuring thestandby register group, whose setting flag has a 1-value (step S508),and clears all the values stored in the standby register group (stepS509).

Furthermore, unit 113 stores, in the standby register group, a contextspecified by the next address in control register 120 (step S510).

Unit 113 then reregisters the next address in control register 120 asthe current address, and reregisters the address following the nextaddress as the new next address (step S511).

Unit 113 judges whether a zero-count signal has been inputted from cyclecounter 116 (i.e. whether the termination of the plate execution hasbeen instructed), whether there has been a notification from processingexecution unit 110 showing that a plate being executed has been put tosleep, or whether this notification shows that the plate was put tosleep after processing was requested of external processor 30 (step512), and if there has been a signal input or a notification, unit 113has processing execution unit 110 terminate the plate execution, and ifthe plate was put to sleep after processing was requested of externalprocessor 30, unit 113 has switching control unit 113 notify aprocessing request signal to external 1/F 117, and has external 1/F 117output the processing request signal to external processor 30 (stepS513), has register switching unit 112 perform the register switching(step S514), and returns to step S504 to repeat the processing.

On the other hand, if there has not been a signal input or anotification, unit 113 continues the current plate execution and returnsto step S512 to judge whether a there has been a notification showingthe completion or the sleep-state of the plate.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart that shows the flag judgment processing.

Switching control unit 113 performs effective bit position searchprocessing to determine the position of an effective bit storing a1-value, from out of the bit string of the setting flag included in acontext that exists in context storage area 201 and is specified by thenext address in control register 120 (step S600).

Unit 113 then judges whether not even one effective bit exists (stepS601), and if not even one effective bit exists, unit 113 leaves thevalue of the next address in control register 120 unchanged, andterminates the flag judgment processing.

On the other hand, if one or more effective bits exist, unit 113 refersto only the position of the one or more effective bits in the bit stringof the completion notification flag group in completion notificationregister 119 (step S602), and judges whether a 1-value is stored in allof the one or more effective bits (step S603).

If the one or more effective bits in the completion notification flaggroup all store a 1-value, unit 113 leaves the value of the next addressunchanged, and terminates the flag judgment processing.

On the other hand, if a 0-value is stored in any of the one or moreeffective bits in the completion notification flag group, unit 113provisionally sets, as the new next address, an address subsequent tothe next address at the present point in time shown inexecution-sequence-table storage area 202 (step S604), and returns tostep S600 to repeat the processing.

By performing the above processing, virtual multiprocessor 100 is ableto execute plates without having to interject the time required for thesaving, judging and restoring of contexts between the completion of oneplate and commencement of the next plate.

FIG. 7 shows the above state in time series.

The saving, judging and restoring of contexts is performed in parallelwith the execution of plates.

As such, the interjecting of the time required for the saving, judgingand restoring of contexts between the completion of one plate andcommencement of the next plate is avoided.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possibleto efficiently execute tasks, even when a plurality of plates isexecuted in a pseudo-parallel manner by a single virtual multiprocessor100, this being because the time required for the saving, judging andrestoring of contexts is not interjected into the plate executionperiod, due to the saving, judging and restoring of contexts beingperformed in parallel with the execution of plates.

Here, in the present embodiment, execution sequence table 300 shows theexecution sequence of the plates, and general execution sequence of theplates is determined by the physical storage locations (i.e. array) ofcontext address values in execution sequence table 300. However, othermethods are possible. For example, a context address value and a tableaddress value may be stored as a pair in execution sequence table 300,and the execution sequence of the plates may be determined by the tableaddress showing the physical storage location of the context addressvalue corresponding to the next execution sequence (i.e. by using thetable address value as a pointer).

In this case, the execution sequence is not affected by the physicalstorage location of a stored context address values, and, moreover, theexecution sequence can be easily altered by changing the pointers.

FIG. 8 shows a data structure in a table that shows an executionsequence when the above pointer is used. In order to show thecorrespondence with the storage location of the contexts, FIG. 8 alsoshows a data structure in context storage area 201.

This execution sequence table stores, as a pair, a context address and atable address as a pointer showing the next execution sequence.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a plate that has been put tosleep is woken up when the execution sequence of the plate as stipulatedin execution sequence table 300 comes around, by switching control unit113 performing the flag judgment processing based on the executionsequence shown by execution sequence table 300. However, when the flagjudgment processing is performed, unit 113 may referring with priorityto the setting flag group in the context of the sleeping plate, and ifthe conditions for wakeup are satisfied, the sleeping plate may beexecuted without waiting for the execution sequence of the plate.

FIG. 9 shows, in time series, a plate execution status in the abovecase.

At time t0, a request is made to external processor 30 to process aplate A, and plate A is put to sleep until a processing result isreceived from external processor 30.

The following description relates to the putting to sleep of a plate.

After writing input data for processing performed by external processor30 into main memory 10, virtual multiprocessor 100 output processingrequest signal, requests processing of external processor 30, and putsthe plate to sleep.

External processor 30 operates to fetch a command from main memory 10,reads input data for processing from main memory 10, performs therequested processing, and writes data resulting from the processing intomain memory 10.

Next, external processor 30 outputs a processing completion signal, andnotifies virtual multiprocessor 100 that the processing has beencompleted.

When notified of the completion of the processing, virtualmultiprocessor 100 again executes the plate that was sleeping byperforming flag judgment processing and the like as described above, andreads data resulting from the processing performed by external processor30 from main memory 10.

By executing a plate in this way, virtual multiprocessor 100 requestsprocessing of an external processor, and puts the plate to sleep unit aprocessing result is received from the external processor.

The operations will now be described in detail.

Firstly, at time t0, the value of the external-processing completionflag in the setting flag group is changed to “1”.

From t2 to t4, the flag judgment processing is performed with prioritygiven to plate A, although because the external-processing completionflag has a 0-value, plate A is not woken up.

At t5 (i.e. during the execution of plate D), the external-processingcompletion flag reverts to a 1-value, and thus plate A is woken up.

Following the wakeup, switching control unit 113 stores a context of thewoken-up plate in the standby register group.

Then, at t6, unit 113 has register control unit 112 perform the registerswitching.

Processing execution unit 110 then executes plate A based on a context,stored in the current register, that corresponds to plate A.

Here, subsequent executions of plate A are conducted when the regularexecution sequence of plate A comes around.

Furthermore, although one sleeping plate is shown in FIG. 9, a pluralityof sleeping plates is conceivable, and in this case, the flag judgmentprocessing may be performed with priority given to a context of theplate put to sleep earliest, or alternatively, the flag judgmentprocessing may be performed with priority given to a context of theplate put to sleep latest.

FIG. 10 shows, in time series, an example of the flag judgmentprocessing being performed with priority given to a context of a platethat was put to sleep latest.

Plate D is put to sleep after plate B, and in the fifth judgment shownin FIG. 10, it is judged whether plate B and plate D are in anexecutable state, and priority is given to the waking up of plate D(i.e. plate that has been sleeping for the shortest period at this pointin time), after which plate B is woken up.

The reason for this is because the execution sequence of a plate put tosleep first is closer than that of a plate put to sleep later, and so ifthe plate put to sleep first is woken up and executed, the executionsequence of that plate will soon come around again, and thus theinterval between executions of the plate at this point in time will beextremely short, and there is a possibility that the execution periodsof the plates will not be uniform.

Furthermore, in the above flag judgment processing described using FIGS.9 and 10, the above priority can be removed if the sleep period of aplate exceeds a determined period.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the completion notification flaggroup and the setting flag group each have a forced-waiting flag, aqueue-opening flag, an interrupt flag, a wait-instruction flag, anexternal-processing completion flag, a transfer-completion flag, and thelike, although other flag may be provided.

For example, when two or more plates are sleeping, it is unclear whichplates the various completion notification flags correspond to.

In this case, a flag to which a number identifying a plate iscorresponded may be provided in the completion notification flag groupand the setting flag group. In other words, when a sleep-state occurs,processing execution unit 110 may be made to generate a unique numberthat specifies the plate currently being executed, and this number maybe registered in the flag provided in the setting flag group, as well asbeing notified to the external device that triggered the sleep-state.

When the wait-cause is cancelled, the above number may, for example, benotified by the external device (e.g. external processor) together withan external processor processing management signal or the like, and inaddition to the external-processing completion flag being changed to a1-value, the flag showing the number may also be changed to a 1-value,thus making it possible to judge which plate the external-processingcompletion flag corresponds to.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example is given in which theexecution period allotted to a plate currently being executed isrelinquished and vacated to another plate when the wait-cause occurs.However, instead of vacating the execution period of the plate toanother plate, power consumption may be suppressed by reducing the drivefrequency of the processor for the period of the relinquishing.

In this case, the total time period allotted for the execution of platesdoes not change, and so when, for example, the drive frequency of theprocessor (i.e. the clock frequency) is reduced by half, cycle counter116 makes two decrements per clock cycle, rather than one decrement perclock cycle.

The time required for the saving, the flag judgment processing and therestoring is described in the present embodiment in terms of the timespan of the register switching being determined by a managementapplication or the like to be shorter than the execution period of theplates, although this is actually a constraint that determines the lowervalue of the time span.

On the other hand, although the constraint determining the upper valueof this time span is not specifically described in the presentembodiment, this time span defines the limits within which the platescan be executed, and thus when the actual execution period of each plateis performed in an extremely short period with respect to these limits,wasted time will occur in which processing is not conducted. To avoidthis wasted time, a management application may determine the upper valueof this time span so that the actual execution period of the plates isapproximately the same as this time span, and also so that this timespan is greater than or equal to the actual execution period of eachplate.

It should be noted that in the case of realtime processing such ascommunication processing and the like, the frequency with which data forprocessing by plate execution arrives is basically predetermined.

In other words, the processing load of plates in a single cycle ispredetermined, and even when one cycle of plates is executed using atime span having an upper and lower value determined as described above,this means nothing if data for processing in the next cycle has notarrived.

In view of this, when a surplus of processing time arises due to theprocessing capacity of processing execution unit 110 being greater thanthe processing load of plates for processing in a single cycle, thedrive frequency (i.e. the processing capacity) of the processor inprocessing execution unit 110 may be reduced to a level that prevents asurplus from arising, and thus the actual processing time of each plateis increased.

In this case, when the plates are executed, the wasted time in whichprocessing is not conducted in reduced, and power consumption is alsominimized as a result of the reduction in the drive frequency of theprocessor.

Furthermore, data required for executing a plate to be executed afterthe plate currently being executed (i.e. the plate corresponding to acontext stored in the standby register group) may be stored in a cachein advance.

In this case, it is necessary to provide a functional unit that refersin advance to the context stored in the standby register group, obtainsthe data required to execute the next plate, and stores the data in acache.

Furthermore, in order to virtually enlarge the capacity of the mainmemory beyond its physical capacity, a virtual memory functional unitmay be provided in the present embodiment for managing a correspondence(mapping) between logical addresses specified by programs, and physicaladdresses accessed physically by a processor.

This virtual memory function is prior art.

In this case, the caches may include an address-conversion-table cachefor storing an address-conversion table that shows the correspondence(mapping) between logical addresses and physical addresses, and in theaddress-conversion-table cache may be stored an address-conversion tablefor converting a logical address showing data required by a plate forexecuting next into a physical address.

In this case, a functional unit is required for referring to a plate tobe executed subsequent to the currently executed plate (i.e. a contextstored in the standby register group) prior to execution of the plate,detecting data required to execute the plate, detecting a value in anaddress-conversion table for converting the logical address of the datainto a physical address, and storing the value in anaddress-conversion-table cache.

Furthermore, although the initial value of the count value in cyclecounter 116 is described above as being a value shared by the plates,this initial value may be different for each of the plates.

In other words, this initial value may show a time period allowed forexecution of a plate, and may allot a unique plate execution period inaccordance with the content of the plate processing.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 11, initial values of the count value arestored so as to correspond to context addresses withinexecution-sequence-table storage area 202.

Also, switching control unit 113 stores the initial values of the countvalue so as to correspond respectively to the current address and thenext address in control register 120.

Furthermore, as a result of this, cycle counter 116 executes a countdownbased on the respective initial values while at the same timeeliminating the overhead, and it is thus preferable to provide two cyclecounters 116.

Furthermore, cycle counter 116 may also have the functional unitstructure shown in FIG. 12.

In FIG. 12, cycle counter 116 has an input/output unit 301, a firstmemory 302, a second memory 303, and a countdown unit 304.

Input/output unit 301 outputs a zero-count signal to switching controlunit 113 when a signal is received from countdown unit 304.

First and second memories 302 and 303 are FIFO memories.

Countdown unit 304 reads an initial value alternately from first andsecond memories 302 and 303, and performs a countdown based on the readinitial value.

According to this structure, a unique plate execution period can beallotted in accordance with the content of the plate processing.

Furthermore, processing execution unit 110 may execute the plates bypipeline processing that has N number of stages.

FIG. 13 shows an example of four-stage pipeline processing.

In this case, even when the execution of processing related to plate Ais completed at stage 1, plate A is still being executed at stages 2 to4.

In other words, in this situation, because the register value of thecurrent register group is required, the register value of plate A cannotbe saved.

The execution of plate A is completed at stage 4, after three clockshave elapsed since the completion of the execution of processing relatedto plate A at stage 1, and this the register value of plate A can now besaved.

Consequently, when a plate is executed by N-stage pipeline processing,for example, it will not be possible to save the register value (i.e.the context) until (N−1) clocks have elapsed, even when the execution ofthe plate at stage 1 has been completed.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, once a plate is asleepthe only chance to wakeup the plate is at the next execution sequence ofthe plate shown in execution sequence table 300. However, even when await-cause occurs and a plate is put to sleep, it sometimes happens thatthe wait-cause is cancelled immediately. In view of this, the executionsequence of the sleeping plate may be set at the head of the sequenceand executed with priority for the period of a single plate executionimmediately after the plate is put to sleep.

FIG. 14 depicts a plate execution status when plate execution isconducted in the above case.

In FIG. 14, since the wait-cause that resulted in the sleep-state iscancelled immediately following plate C being put to sleep, theexecution sequence of plate C is moved to the head of the sequenceduring the execution of plate D, and thus plate C is executed afterplate D has been executed.

In this case, however, when the cancellation timing of the wait-causeoccurs just before the execution completion of plate D, a margin must beallowed for the time required to perform the restoring of plate A (i.e.originally scheduled to be executed after plate D), since there is onlyone standby register group in the present embodiment.

As a result, the time period (hereafter, “priority period”) during whichpriority is given to the execution sequence of the sleeping plate is, inthe case of FIG. 14, shorter than the execution period of plate D.

In order to eliminate this inconvenience, at least three register groupsmay be provided, and by setting one of these as the current registergroup, and the remaining two as standby register groups, and by storinga context of plate C and a context of plate A in FIG. 14 in the tworegister groups at the same time, the above priority period islengthened until just before the execution completion of plate D.

Furthermore, although the description in the first embodiment is basedon the premise that the number of plates is greater than the number ofregister groups, the present invention is not limited to this structure,and thus the number of plates may be less than or equal to the number ofregister groups.

In this case, a context storage area need not be provided in the contextmemory, and restoring and saving steps are not required.

More specifically, steps S508 (saving) and S509 (clearing of standbyregister group) in FIG. 5 are not required, and the processing in stepsS510 and S514 is altered.

In other words, in the first embodiment, step S510 (storing in standbyregister group) involves processing to store a context specified by thenext address in control register 120 determined by the flag judgingprocessing in step S507. However, when a context storage area is notprovided, step S510 may be changed to involve processing to haveswitching control unit 113 select and store, as a subsequent currentregister group, a register group already corresponded to a contextspecified by the next address judged in step S507.

Then, in step S514, register switching unit 112 may perform registerswitching, such that the register group selected as the subsequentregister group becomes the current register group.

In this case, switching control unit 113 functions to detect whichregister group is corresponded to the context specified by the nextaddress, and to store the detected register group, and registerswitching unit 112 functions to switch the current register group forthe register group stored by switching control unit 113.

Here, when there are two plates and two register groups, plate A iscorresponded to a first register group, and plate B is corresponded to asecond register group.

For example, when plate A is to be executed, switching control unit 113selects the first register group as the current register group, withoutperforming operations to restore a register value group from the contextmemory.

Furthermore, even when there are three plates and three register groups(i.e. plates A, B, and C, with plate C being corresponded to a thirdregister group), the register group selected as the current registergroup is the execution target register group, and the other registergroups are standby register groups.

When plate C is to be executed, the third register group is selected asthe current register group.

Even after the selection target has been switched, it is not necessaryto perform operations to save a register value group to the contextmemory.

Even in the above structure in which a context storage area is notprovided, a plurality of programs are executed rapidly while at the sametime being frequently switched every time a predetermined periodelapses, and thus this structure is effective in realizing parallelexecution by pseudo-realtime processing.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, context memory 200 is constitutedby SRAM, but may be DRAM. Moreover, context memory 200 is not limited tothese types of memory, and may be a register that allows for quickaccess, an external storage apparatus that allows for quick access, orthe like.

Furthermore, although in the first embodiment a management applicationis included in a single plate, a management application may be includedin a plurality of plates.

Second Embodiment 1. Structure

A second embodiment will now be described in detail while referring tothe drawings.

FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram of a virtual multiprocessor 400according to the second embodiment.

Similar to virtual multiprocessor 100 in the first embodiment, virtualmultiprocessor 400 is a processor that executes a plurality of programsin a pseudo-parallel manner.

Virtual multiprocessor 400 executes a plurality of programs in apseudo-parallel manner by sequentially executing a program allotted toeach of a plurality of timeslots.

Here, a “timeslot” (or simply “TS”) is the smallest program executiontimeframe in the case of programs being executed using time-sharing.

In virtual multiprocessor 100 of the first embodiment, the plates (i.e.the program execution sequence) are stipulated directly. However, thevirtual multiprocessor 400 of the second embodiment differs from thefirst embodiment, in that the timeslot sequence is firstly stipulated,and then candidates of the programs to be executed in each timeslot areprovided.

More specifically, either a single program or four programs arecorresponded to each timeslot, the corresponded program being anallotment candidate of the timeslot, and normally one of these programsis targeted for allotment.

In principal, the programs allotted to each timeslot are executedsequentially based on the stipulated timeslot sequence.

Furthermore, the processing content in virtual multiprocessor 400 when aprogram targeted for allotment is in an unexecutable state differs fromthat of virtual multiprocessor 100 in the first embodiment.

Here, for the sake of convenience, a program targeted for execution asseen from the processor side is referred to as a “logical processor”(hereafter, “LP”).

FIG. 15 also shows a context memory 500 in which information (i.e.contexts), such as program counter values showing program executionpositions, and addresses showing storage locations of programs and data,is stored.

Context memory 500 is structured from SRAM, and has a context storagearea 501 in which contexts corresponding to the programs are stored.

Context storage area 501 is in a predetermined storage area withincontext memory 500, and stores context values corresponding to theprograms.

Furthermore, FIG. 15 shows an oscillator 600 for generating a referencesignal, and a PLL (phase-locked loop) 601 for generating a clock pulsethat is supplied to virtual multiprocessor 400 based on the referencesignal.

Furthermore, in addition to these functional units, the followingfunctional units (not depicted) relate to virtual multiprocessor 400.

That is, a main memory formed from DRAM and storing programs, data andthe like, and a cache memory formed from DRAM and for storing the aboveprograms, data and the like, are connected to virtual multiprocessor 400via a bus.

Virtual multiprocessor 400 has a time-allocation-information storageregister 402, a processing execution unit 410, a processing control unit411, a register switching unit 412, a scheduling control unit 413, afirst register group 414, a second register group 415, a cycle counter416, an external I/F 417, a DMA management unit 418, a request detectionunit 419, a control register 420, a setting flag register 421, aLP-state storage register 424, a processor-state storage unit 425, and aclock mask unit 427.

Time-allocation-information storage register 402 stores informationrelating to timeslots and programs.

More specifically, this information is formed from (i) timeslotinformation stipulating, for example, the program execution timeframeand execution sequence of timeslots, (ii) LP information for specifyinga program candidate for executing in each timeslot, (iii) priority level& mode information for restricting the range of the program candidates,(iv) idle-option information for determining a processing content whenthe candidate of an executable program does not exist in a timeslot, and(v) time-option information for determining a processing content when acurrently executed program is suspended.

These five kinds of information exist for each timeslot, and are relatedto each other in timeslot units.

First and second register groups 414 and 415 are each a collection ofregisters for storing register values (i.e. context content), such asprogram counter values, and addresses showing the storage locations ofprograms and data.

Register switching unit 412 selects, as a register group (i.e. currentregister group) to be used when a program is executed, one of the firstand second register groups 414 and 415 in accordance with an instructionfrom scheduling control unit 413.

Similar to the first embodiment, the switching of selection targets byregister switching unit 412 is referred to as “register switching”, andthe register group that is not selected as the current register group isreferred to as a “standby register group”.

It should be noted that there are times when the register switching isreferred to as “context switching”.

Processing execution unit 410 includes a CPU for executing programs.When register switching is performed (i.e. when the current registergroup is selected), processing execution unit 410 specifies the locationof a program for execution and data required to execute the program, andinstructs DMA management unit 418 to obtain the program and the datarequired to execute the program.

Also, when a situation occurs during execution of the program wherebyprocessing cannot be continued, processing execution unit 410 outputs await-code showing the suspension of the program execution to processingcontrol unit 411.

Here, the above CPU drives in synchronization with a clock pulseoutputted from PLL 601 via clock mask unit 427, and terminates theprogram execution when the clock pulse stops.

LP-state storage register 424 is a register for storing program-stateinformation showing attributes and states of the programs, and timeslotsetting information in which the setting content of the timeslots isshown.

More specifically, the timeslot setting information is formed from an ID(hereafter, “TS_ID”) for specifying a timeslot, and a code showing anattribute of the timeslot.

Here, as timeslot attribute codes, “TD” is shown in the case of atime-driven timeslot provided for use in executing a program that isprincipally for steady execution, and “ED” is shown in the case of anevent-driven timeslot provided for non-steady program execution, such asa program only executed when an event occurs.

In other words, although a time-driven timeslot can become an executiontarget even when an event has not occurred, an event-driven time slotcannot be an execution target if an event had not occurred. In the aboveprogram-state information is shown a ID value identifying a program, acode identifying a program-state, a code showing a program attribute anda code showing a timing (hereafter, “wakeup timing”) for waking up orrepeating the program.

There are six codes identifying a program state: “waiting”, “ready”,“running”, “suspended-waiting”, “suspended-ready”, and “non-existent”.

Of these, “ready” and “running” are states in which a program iscurrently executable, and in particular, “running” shows the currentexecution of a program.

Furthermore, “waiting” and “suspended-waiting” show states in which aprogram is a target range of the scheduling.

“Non-existent” shows a state in which it is not required to execute aprogram. In other words, a program in the states of “waiting,”,“suspended-waiting” and “non-existent” is outside the target range forprogram execution scheduling.

Furthermore, when these codes shift to “suspended-waiting” as a resultof a state occurring during program execution in which the programcannot be executed, the TD_ID value of a timeslot allotted at the pointin time when this state occurred, is attached to these codes.

Here, these codes each shift to “suspended-ready” when the programbecomes executable, although the above TD_ID value remains attacheduntil the program execution is commenced.

As program attribute codes, “TD” is shown in the case of a program thatis principally for steady execution, and “ED” is shown in the case of aprogram that is only executed when an event occurs.

As codes showing the wakeup timing, “n” is shown in the case of aprogram executed after storing a context following the release of aregister group that is the standby register group when an executionrequest for the program occurs (i.e. a program having few processingtime constraints), and “e” is shown in the case of a program thatrequires immediate execution, to the extent that a context alreadystored in the standby register group is switched.

Control register 420 is a register for storing information specifying atimeslot that is the present execution target, and a timeslot that is tobecome the next execution target.

More specifically, control register 420 stores a current address valueshowing the location in which timeslot information corresponding to atimeslot that is the current execution target is stored, and a nextaddress value showing the location in which timeslot informationcorresponding to a timeslot that is to become the next execution targetis stored.

In virtual multiprocessor 400, 16 timeslots are configured, and as aresult, there exist 16 pieces of timeslot information.

Of the 16 timeslots, only 4 timeslots are normally used in programexecution.

Here, the timeslot information is stored in time-allocation-informationstorage register 402 such that address values of the timeslotinformation corresponding to these 4 timeslots take consecutive values.

Control register 420 also stores a head address value, being thesmallest of the consecutive address values, and an end address value,being the largest of the consecutive address values.

Each piece of timeslot information includes a TS_ID value (a singlevalue from 0 to 15) for specifying a corresponding timeslot.

The smaller the TD_ID value, the smaller the address value of thelocation in which the piece of timeslot information is stored intime-allocation-information storage register 402.

A TD_ID value from 0 to 3 is corresponded to the four timeslots that arenormally used in program execution.

In other words, timeslot information in which a 0-value TD_ID is shownis stored in the head address, and timeslot information in which a3-value TD_ID is shown is stored in the head address.

The four timeslots are ranked from high to low priority. The timeslotspecified by timeslot information (TD_ID=0) stored in the head addresshas the highest priority level, and as the address values increasetoward the end address, the priority level of the timeslots specified bytimeslot information stored in these addresses decreases.

These timeslot priority levels show the degree to which realtimeprocessing is required, and in particular, realtime processing is notassured in the timeslot specified by timeslot information (TD_ID=3)stored the end address.

Processor-state storage unit 425 is a register storing informationrelated to the state of a currently executed program.

This information is formed from (i) the value of a switching-prohibitedflag showing whether switching by register switching unit 412 isprohibited, and (ii) the value of a common-interrupt flag showingwhether common interrupt processing (described below) is currently beingexecuted.

In the case of the switching being prohibited or a common interruptoccurring, the respective flags have a 1-value, and otherwise therespective flags have a 0-value.

Setting flag register 421 is a register for storing setting informationrelated to programs.

More specifically, this setting information is a collection of flagsprovided per program (hereafter, “setting flag group”), and the contentshown by the value of each flag in the setting flag group is classified,for example, into unique interrupt-processing requests (i.e. requeststhat a corresponding program is able to process) and event-processingrequests.

Request detection unit 419 has a collection of flags that are providedper program (hereafter, “unique flag group”), and a collection of flagsthat are provided commonly for all of the programs (hereafter, “commonflag group”).

The flags in the unique flag group correspond one-to-one to the flags inthe setting flag group stored in setting flag register 421, the bitstring length of bit data structuring the unique flag group is equal tothe bit string length of bit data structuring the setting flag group,and bits positioned an equal distance from a head of the respective bitsstrings relate to the same item.

Here, information relating to items shown by the flags (i.e. relatedinformation such as an ID specifying a program corresponding to an item)is attached to some of some of these flags.

Request detection unit 419 updates unique flag values and common flagvalues based on a bit data array and values for an external signalreceived from external I/F 417.

Here, request detection unit 419 converts a received external signal toan understandable data format.

Unit 419 decodes the external signal content based on the result of acomparison of flag values in the unique flag group with flag values inan updated common flag group and setting flag group values withinsetting flag register 421.

For the sake of convenience, this processing is referred to as “externalsignal decode processing”.

The content of the external signal can be broadly divided intointerrupt-processing requests and event-processing requests.

The interrupt-processing requests can further be divided into uniqueinterrupt-processing requests and common interrupt-processing requests.

Here, a unique interrupt-processing request is a request to executeprocessing executable only in specific programs, and only these specificprograms require the execution of unique interrupt processing.

Furthermore, a common interrupt-processing request is a request toexecute processing executable in all of the programs, and these specificprograms together require the execution of common interrupt processing.

The common flag group shows a content of a common interrupt-processingrequest.

Here, the interrupt processing is executed after jumping to a subroutineprogram of an executable program.

An event-processing request is a request to execute a program that ispresently in an unexecutable state or a program that does not currentlyrequire processing, and arises when an event reverts to an executablestate or an event reverts to requiring execution.

More specifically, by executing the external signal decode processing,request detection unit 419 judges whether a received external signal isone of a unique interrupt-processing request, a commoninterrupt-processing request, and an event-processing request.

If judged to be a unique interrupt-processing request, request detectionunit 419 obtains, from the above related information, an ID (hereafter,“Unique P_ID”) specifying a program to become the interrupt target ofthe unique interrupt processing, and an ID (hereafter, “Unique SP_ID”)specifying a subroutine program for executing the unique interruptprocessing.

Furthermore, if judged to be a common interrupt-processing request,request detection unit 419 obtains, from the related informationcorresponding to the external signal, an ID (hereafter, “Common SP_ID”)specifying a subroutine program for executing the common interruptprocessing.

Furthermore, if judged to be an event-processing request, requestdetection unit 419 obtains, from the related information correspondingto the external signal, an ID (hereafter, “Event P_ID”) specifying aprogram to which the execution request relates from the external signal.

Following the above obtaining, request detection unit 419 outputs theobtained IDs to scheduling control unit 413.

When notified by scheduling control unit 413 of the completion ofprocessing corresponding to an unique interrupt-processing request, acommon interrupt-processing request, or an event-processing request,unit 419 changes the flag value of the item corresponding to thecompleted processing to the default value.

Furthermore, when the received external signal is judged to be anevent-processing request, request detection unit 419 refers to LP-statestorage register 424 prior to the above outputting of the Event P_ID toscheduling control unit 413.

At this time, if the program attribute specified by this Event P_IDshows “ED” (event-driven program for non-steady execution), requestdetection unit 419 determines that this P_ID is for outputting toscheduling control unit 413, so long as a P_ID showing a program whoseprogram attribute is “ED” has not been outputted to scheduling controlunit 413 during a time period from when a cycle head signal (describedbelow) was most recently received to the present time.

In the case not being able to output a P_ID as a result of performingthe above processing, request detection unit 419 stores the P_ID andwhen a cycle head signal is next received, unit 419 outputs the P_ID toscheduling control unit 413.

Scheduling control unit 413 functions to perform, within the programexecution timeframe of a single timeslot, program execution scheduling,processing for restoring a context into the standby register group(hereafter, “restore processing”), processing for register switching(hereafter, “register-switch processing”), and processing for saving acontext from the standby register group to context memory 500(hereafter, “save processing”).

1-1 Scheduling

First, the above scheduling will be described.

There are three kinds of scheduling: (i) time-driven scheduling, whichis scheduling related to the execution of steady processing; (ii)event-driven scheduling, which is scheduling related to the execution ofa program not currently targeted for scheduling; and (iii) relinquishscheduling, which is scheduling executed when the program executionperiod is relinquished during the program execution.

As the preprocessing of these three kinds of scheduling and theregister-switch processing, scheduling control unit 413 performs (i)target-timeslot retrieval processing, (ii) target-TS-allotment-programretrieval processing, (iii) priority-level & mode information retrievalprocessing, (iv) idle-option-information retrieval processing, and (v)time-option-information retrieval processing.

1-1-1 Target-Timeslot Retrieval Processing

The following description relates to the target-timeslot retrievalprocessing.

Scheduling control unit 413 (i) refers to the value of a targetedaddress (hereafter, “target address”), which is one of the currentaddress value, the next address value, the head address value, and theend address value stored in control register 420, (ii) refers to a TS_IDvalue in the timeslot information stored in the target address withintime-allocation-information storage register 402, (iii) specifies thetimeslot (hereafter, “target TS”), and (iv) obtains the programexecution timeframe (i.e. basic cycle value) allotted to this timeslot.

1-1-2 Target-TS-Allotment-Program Retrieval Processing

The following description relates to the target-TS-allotment-programretrieval processing.

Scheduling control unit 413 refers to LP information corresponded to thetarget TS, specifies the four programs shown by this LP information, anddetects the priority levels (from 0 to 3) corresponded to each of theseprograms.

1-1-3 Priority Level & Mode Information Retrieval Processing

The following description relates the priority level & mode informationretrieval processing.

Scheduling control unit 413 refers to priority level & mode informationcorresponded to the target TS, and detects whether one of values 0 to 3is shown as the priority level, and whether one of Index mode and Levelmode is shown as the mode.

Index mode and Level modes are setting information defining the methodof allotting programs to timeslots. In the case of Index mode beingshown in the priority level & mode information, scheduling control unit413 attempts to allot a timeslot to only a single specific program, andin the case of Level mode being shown in the priority level & modeinformation, scheduling control unit 413 attempts to allot a timeslot toonly a program having a priority level above a specified priority level.

1-1-4 Idle-Option-Information Retrieval Processing

The following description relates to idle-option-information retrievalprocessing.

As the idle-option-information retrieval processing, scheduling controlunit 413 refers to idle-option information corresponded to the targetTS, and judges whether “SWITCH” or “MICRO-SLEEP” is shown.

1-1-5 Time-Option-Information Retrieval Processing

The following description relates to time-option-information retrievalprocessing.

As the time-option-information retrieval processing, scheduling controlunit 413 refers to time-option information corresponded to the targetTS, and judges whether “LP_SWITCH”, “TS_SWITCH” or “MICRO-SLEEP” isshown.

1-2 Time-Driven Scheduling

The following description relates to time-driven scheduling.

Time-driven scheduling is scheduling related to normal programexecution.

In the case of event-driven scheduling and relinquish scheduling (bothdescribed below) not being executed, scheduling control unit 413executes time-driven scheduling, and performs restore processing,register-switch processing and save processing based on the time-drivenscheduling.

As the time-driven scheduling, scheduling control unit 413 performs thefollowing scheduling.

1-2-1 Scheduling

The following description relates to the scheduling.

Scheduling unit 413 performs the above target-timeslot retrievalprocessing with the next address as the target address, and afterspecifying the target TS (hereafter, “next TS”), unit 413 performs theabove target-TS-allotment-program retrieval processing in order tospecify the four programs corresponded to this next TS, and also detectsthe priority level corresponded to each of these programs.

Next, scheduling control unit 413 executes the above priority level &mode information retrieval processing in order to retrieve the content(i.e. priority level and mode) of the priority level & mode informationcorresponded to the next TS.

If the retrieved mode is the Level mode, scheduling control unit 413sets, as the candidate of the program (hereafter, “candidate program”)allotted to the target TS, all of the programs to which values less thanand equal to the retrieved priority level value are corresponded.

If the retrieved mode is the Index mode, scheduling control unit 413sets, as the candidate program, a single program to which the prioritylevel value retrieved by the priority level & mode information retrievalprocessing is corresponded.

Furthermore, scheduling control unit 413 refers to the program-stateinformation corresponding to each candidate program in LP-state storageregister 424, and detects whether each of the candidates are executable.

More specifically, when the program-state information of a candidateprogram shows “ready”, scheduling control unit 413 judges whether theprogram is executable, and makes the program effective as an allotmentcandidate of the next TS.

A candidate program made effective in this way is referred to as an“effective candidate program”.

When a plurality of effective candidate programs exist for a single nextTS, scheduling control unit 413 sets, as the allotment target of thenext TS, the effective candidate program to which the smallest of thepriority level values is corresponded.

Furthermore, when a single effective candidate program exists for asingle next TS, scheduling control unit 413 sets this effectivecandidate program as the allotment target of the next TS.

Following the setting of an effective candidate program as the allotmenttarget of the next TS, scheduling control unit 413 corresponds an IDspecifying the effective candidate program to the timeslot informationof the next TS.

Furthermore, when the execution of the effective candidate program iscompleted, scheduling control unit 413 deletes the ID specifying theexecuted effective candidate program from the above timeslotinformation.

Furthermore, when no effective candidate program exists for a next TS,scheduling control unit 413 determines the content of the subsequentprocessing based on the content of information obtained by performingidle-option-information retrieval processing.

More specifically, when the content of the idle option information shows“MICRO-SLEEP”, scheduling control unit 413 does not set any program asthe allotment target of the next. TS.

Here, a timeslot to which no program is allotted is referred to as an“empty timeslot”.

Furthermore, when the content of the above information shows “SWITCH”,scheduling control unit 413 sets a value obtained by adding a “1” to thenext address value (note: this value=head address value if next addressis end address) as the new next address, and repeatedly performs theabove scheduling.

After performing the above time-driven scheduling, scheduling controlunit 413 performs the restore processing, register-switch processing andthe save processing.

1-3 Event-Driven Scheduling

The following description relates to event-driven scheduling.

Event-driven scheduling is scheduling performed instead of thetime-driven scheduling when requests occur to execute programs(described below) that are outside the scope of the present scheduling.

Programs to which such execution requests relate include programs havingan ED attribute that change from a “waiting” state to a “ready” state,and programs having a TD or an ED attribute that change from a“suspended-waiting” or “running” state to a “suspended-ready” state.

Here, immediately prior to the time-driven scheduling being performed,scheduling control unit 413 judges whether an execution request for oneof the above programs has occurred.

When an event P_ID is received from request detection unit 419,scheduling control unit 413 specifies a program from the received eventP_ID, refers to LP-state storage register 424, obtains an attribute andwakeup timing of the program, and performs the following processing inaccordance with the obtained content.

1-3-1 Recovery-Event Processing

When the specified program is in a “waiting” state, has a “TD” attributeand a wakeup timing of “n”, scheduling control unit 413 transfers thestate of the current program specified by the P_ID in LP-state storageregister 424 to “ready”.

After performing the above recovery-event processing, scheduling controlunit 413 performs the restore processing, the switch processing and thesave processing (i.e. same as performed after the time-drivenscheduling).

1-3-2 Urgent Recovery-Event Processing

When the specified program is in a “suspended-waiting” state, has a “TD”attribute and a wakeup timing of “e”, scheduling control unit 413transfers the state of the specified program to “suspended-ready/”.

Then, scheduling control unit 413 specifies a timeslot (hereafter,“specified TS”) from a TS_ID value attached to a code showing the stateof the specified program, and allots the specified TS to the specifiedprogram.

After performing the above urgent recovery-event processing, schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs urgent restore processing (described below),and also performs urgent register switch processing (described below)instead of the register switch processing that is performed after thetime-driven scheduling.

1-3-3 Event-Wakeup Processing

When the specified program is in a “suspended-waiting” state, has a “TD”attribute and a wakeup timing of “n”, scheduling control unit 413transfers the state of the current program specified by the event P_IDin LP-state storage register 424 to “suspended-ready/”.

Furthermore, when the specified program is in a “waiting” or a“suspended-waiting” state, has an “ED” attribute and a wakeup timing of“n”, scheduling control unit 413 changes the state of the programspecified by the received event P_ID to “ready” (i.e. if “waiting”) and“suspended-ready” (i.e. if “suspended-waiting”), respectively.

Additionally, when urgent register switching processing is performed ata wakeup timing of “e” after the event-driven scheduling, schedulingcontrol unit 413, as a result of this occurrence, changes the state ofthe currently executed program from “running” to “suspended-ready/”,irrespective of the attribute.

When this event-wakeup processing is performed, scheduling control unit413 performs early restore processing (described below) instead of therestore processing that is performed after the time-driven scheduling,and performs register switch processing (described below) to trigger thearrival of the zero-count signal.

This event processing is referred to as “event-wakeup processing”.

1-3-4 Urgent Event-Wakeup Processing

When the specified program is in a “waiting” or a “suspended-waiting”state, has an “ED” attribute and a wakeup timing of “e”, schedulingcontrol unit 413 changes the state of the specified program to “ready”(i.e. if “waiting”) and “suspended-ready” (i.e. if “suspended-waiting”),respectively.

When the urgent event-wakeup processing has been performed, schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs urgent restore processing (described below)instead of the restore processing that is performed after thetime-driven scheduling, and performs urgent register switch processing(described below) instead of the restore switch processing that isperformed after the time-driven scheduling.

This event processing is referred to as “urgent event-wakeupprocessing”.

1-4 Relinquish Scheduling

The following description relates to relinquish scheduling performedwhen scheduling control unit 413 receives a wait-code from processingexecution unit 410 via processing control unit 411, or a cache-misssignal (described below) from DMA management unit 418.

A “wait-code” is a code showing the relinquishing of a time periodallotted to a currently executed program when the program executioncannot be continued. The wait-codes include a “vmp_wait” code and a“vmp_sus” code.

The “vmp_wait” code is a code that is issued by processing executionunit 410 when it is anticipated that the period of the relinquishingwill be comparatively long, and the “vmp_sus” code is a code that isissued by processing execution unit 410 when it is anticipated that theperiod of the relinquishing will be comparatively short.

When the “vmp_wait” or “vmp_sus” code is received from processingexecution unit 410 via processing control unit 411, or when thecache-miss signal is received from DMA management unit 418, schedulingcontrol unit 413 updates the state of a currently executed programstored in LP-state storage register 424.

More specifically, when a “vmp_wait” code is received, schedulingcontrol unit 413 changes the state of the currently executed programfrom “running” to “waiting”.

When a “vmp_sus” code or a cache-miss signal is received, schedulingcontrol unit 413 changes the state of the currently executed programfrom “running” to “suspended-waiting”.

Scheduling control unit 413 then performs the time-option-informationretrieval processing (described above) with the current address set asthe target address.

When the received wait-code is “vmp_sus”, scheduling control unit 413performs urgent register switch processing (described below)irrespective of the time-option information, performs the saveprocessing, and performs control register value update processing(described below).

Furthermore, even when the received wait-code is “vmp_wait” and thetime-option information content shows “TS_SWITCH”, scheduling controlunit 413 performs, as described above, the urgent register switchprocessing, the save processing, and the control register value updateprocessing.

Here, either restore processing in the time-driven scheduling or earlyrestore processing after the early wakeup processing in the event-drivenscheduling is performed with respect to the standby register groupimmediately prior to the performing of the urgent register switchprocessing.

Furthermore, when the received wait-code is “vmp_wait”, and thetime-option information content shows “LP_SWITCH”, scheduling controlunit 413 judges whether an effective candidate program exists in thetimeslot that is the current execution target, and if one or moreeffective candidate programs exist, scheduling control unit 413 stores(i.e. restores) register values of a context corresponding to a programhaving the highest priority level out of the one or more effectivecandidate programs (i.e. if only one effective candidate program, thenthat program) in the standby register group.

Next, scheduling control unit 413 performs the urgent register switchprocessing and the save processing.

Furthermore, when an effective candidate program does not exist, or whenthe time-option information content shows “MICRO-SLEEP”, schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs the following processing, in addition toinstructing processing control unit 411 to have processing executionunit 410 execute NOP (described below), which is a program executionthat does not result from the updating of a register value in thecurrent register group.

Scheduling control unit 413 immediately starts an output of a masksignal to clock mask unit 427, refers to the content of a context storedin a standby register group, obtains an address value in the memory inwhich data required to execute a program corresponding to this contextis stored, and instructs DMA management unit 418 to write the datastored in the address into a cache memory.

Furthermore, when the register switching or the urgent registerswitching is next performed, scheduling control unit 413 stops theoutput of the mask signal to clock mask unit 427.

Upon receiving a zero-count signal from cycle counter 416, schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs the register switch processing and the saveprocessing.

Processing related to the restoring in the restore processing, theurgent restore processing, the early restore processing, and the likewill now be described.

1-5-1 Restore Processing

Restore processing is processing for storing register values in thestandby register group, and is performed by scheduling control unit 413after the time-driven scheduling has been performed.

As the restore processing when the standby register group is released(i.e. when the saving is completed), scheduling control unit 413instructs DMA management unit 418 to store, in the standby registergroup, register values of a context corresponding to a program allottedas a result of the time-driven scheduling.

1-5-2 Urgent Restore Processing

The urgent restore processing is processing for storing register valuesin a standby register group, and is performed by scheduling control unit413 when the wakeup timing of the specified program shows “e” as aresult of performing the event-driven scheduling.

As the urgent restore processing when execution of the urgentrecovery-event processing or the urgent event-wakeup processing iscompleted, scheduling control unit 413 saves the register values storedin the standby register group, and instructs DMA management unit 418 toimmediately store (i.e. to urgently restore) the register values of acontext corresponding to a specified program in the standby registergroup.

Here, it is possible for the saving and restoring to be executed perregister rather than per register group, and by performing the savingand restoring sequentially for each register, it is possible to performthe saving and restoring in a pseudo-parallel manner.

1-5-3 Early Restore Processing

The early restore processing is processing for storing register valuesin a standby register group, and is performed by scheduling control unit413 when the wakeup timing of the specified program shows “n” as aresult of performing the event-driven scheduling.

As the urgent restore processing when a standby register group isreleased (i.e. when the saving is completed), scheduling control unit413 instructs DMA management unit 418 to immediately store registervalues of a context corresponding to a specified program in the standbyregister group.

Here, similar to the urgent restore processing, scheduling control unit413 initializes the register values of the standby register group priorto the above storing.

Processing that relates to register switching in the register-switchprocessing, the urgent register-switch processing, and the like will nowbe described.

1-6-1 Register-Switch Processing

Upon receiving a zero-count signal from cycle counter 416, schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs basic cycle adjustment processing (describedbelow), and instructs register switching unit 412 to perform registerswitching after first conducting switch-timing confirmation processing(described below).

Furthermore, upon receipt from register switching unit 412 ofnotification that the register switching has been completed, schedulingcontrol unit 413 outputs a basic cycle value to cycle counter 416, andperforms actual-time-period retention processing (described below) andcontrol-register-value update processing (described below).

At this time, if the execution target timeslot is an empty timeslot,scheduling control unit 413 starts the output of the mask signal toclock mask unit 427, in addition to instructing processing control unit411 to have processing execution unit 410 execute NOP (i.e.“no-operation”) following the outputting of the basic cycle value tocycle counter 416, refers to a content of a context stored in a standbyregister group, obtains an address value in a memory in which datarequired to execute a program corresponding to the context is stored,and instructs DMA management unit 418 to write the data stored in theaddress into a cache memory.

Furthermore, when register switching or the urgent register switching isnext performed, scheduling control unit 413 stops the output of the masksignal to clock mask unit 427.

1-6-1-1 Basic-Cycle Adjustment Processing

The following description relates to basic-cycle adjustment processing.

Immediately prior to the register switching, scheduling control unit 413refers to LP-state storage register 424, judges whether the state of aprogram corresponding to a register value group stored in a standbyregister group is “suspended-ready”, and if “suspended-ready”,scheduling control unit 413 obtains an actual count value (describedbelow) from a residual-cycle-value storage location (described below) inthe standby register group.

Then, at the next program execution time, scheduling control unit 413sets this actual count value as the execution period of the program(i.e. as the basic cycle of the timeslot to which the program isallotted) instead of a regular basic cycle shown in the timeslotinformation of a timeslot to which the program is allotted.

Furthermore, when the TS_ID value of this timeslot is “3” (i.e. atimeslot not guaranteeing realtime processing), scheduling control unit413 obtains a timelag value in the timeslot information that shows theTS_ID value of “3”, sets the result of subtracting this timelag valuefrom the basic cycle value as a new basic cycle for the next programexecution time, and updates the timelag value in this timeslotinformation to “0”.

Here, upon receipt of notification from processing control unit 411 ofthe start of program execution, scheduling control unit 413 outputs thebasic cycle value derived as above to cycle counter 416.

1-6-1-2 Switch-Timing Confirmation Processing

The following description relates to switch-timing confirmationprocessing.

When programs are executed by timesharing, it may not be possible, forexample, to complete the program execution within an arbitrary timeperiod due to shared resources being used in the program execution, andthe like.

In other words, it may not be possible to perform the register switchingwithin an arbitrary time period.

As a result, scheduling control unit 413 firstly requests processingcontrol unit 411 to complete a currently executed program, has theprogram ended at a point at which completion of the program execution ispossible, and confirms whether register switching is possible.

More specifically, after the above request, scheduling control unit 413refers to the values of the switching-prohibited flag and thecommon-interrupt flag in processor-state storage unit 425, and judgeswhether register switching is possible (i.e. flag value=“0”) or notpossible (i.e. flag value=“1”).

1-6-1-3 Actual-Time-Period Retention Processing

The following description relates to actual-time-period retentionprocessing.

Having instructed register switching unit 412 to perform the registerswitching, scheduling control unit 413 obtains the count value of cyclecounter 416 at this point in time, and when this count value (hereafter,“actual count value”) is a positive value, and a “vmp_sus” code (i.e.code triggering the register switching) is received, scheduling controlunit 413 writes this actual count value into a location (hereafter,“residual-cycle-value storage location”) determined in the registergroup that becomes the standby register group as a result of theregister switching having been performed.

By doing this, the actual count value of a program whose execution hasbeen completed is attached to a context of the program, and because theactual count value is stored in context memory 500 following the savingof this context, the actual count value at the previous programexecution period can be obtained at the next program execution time.

Furthermore, when the actual count value takes a negative value, or whenthe actual count value takes a positive value and a “vmp_wait” code(i.e. code triggering the register switching) is received, schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs the target-timeslot retrieval processing withthe end address as the target address, specifies a storage location oftimeslot information of a timeslot (i.e. TS_ID=3) thus specified, andupdates the timelag value by adding this actual count value to a timelagvalue stored in the timeslot information.

Here, for the reasons mentioned in the above description of theswitch-timing confirmation processing, it is not always possible tostrictly match the switch timing with the basic cycle of a timeslot, andthe switching is normally performed a few cycles over the basic cycle,and thus the actual count value takes a negative value. Furthermore,when, for example, the register switching is conducted by suspending theprogram execution, the actual count value takes a positive value due tobeing less than the basic cycle of the timeslot that is the executiontarget.

1-6-1-4 Control-Register-Value Update Processing

The following description relates to control-register-value updateprocessing.

The control-register-value update processing is processing for updatingdata, and is performed in control register 420 following scheduling(described below) being performed.

This scheduling is (1) the performing of time-driven scheduling, or (2)the performing of relinquish scheduling when the time-option informationcontent shows “TS_SWITCH”.

In addition to setting to next address value at a current point in timeas a new current address value, scheduling control unit 413 sets a valueobtained by adding “1” to this next address value (note: this value=headaddress value if next address is end address), and following this,scheduling control unit 413 updates the values of the current addressand the next address stored in control register 420.

Furthermore, having transferred the current address value from the endaddress value to the head address value, scheduling control unit 413outputs a cycle head signal to request detection unit 419.

1-6-2 Urgent Register-Switch Processing

The following description relates to urgent register-switch processing.

When the content of time-option information shows “TS_SWITCH” in thetime-option processing of the relinquish scheduling, and when the urgentrestore processing performed after the urgent recovery-event processingand the urgent event-wakeup processing at a time of the event-drivenscheduling is completed, scheduling control unit 413 performs thebasic-cycle adjustment processing, and instructs register switching unit412 to perform the register switching after first conducting theswitch-timing confirmation processing.

Then, upon receipt of notification from register switching unit 412 thatthe register switching has been completed, scheduling control unit 413outputs the basic cycle value to cycle counter 416, and performs theactual-time-period retention processing.

1-7-1 Save Processing

Upon receipt of notification that the register switching has beencompleted, scheduling control unit 413 instructs DMA management unit 418to overwrite (i.e. save), into a memory area of context memory 500 inwhich the context was originally stored, register values of a contextstored in a register group that becomes the standby register group as aresult of the register switching.

Here, the saving is conducted immediately prior to the registerswitching being performed, even when the execution target timeslot is anempty timeslot.

1-8-1 Unique Interrupt Processing

Upon receiving a unique P_ID and a unique SP_ID from request detectionunit 419, scheduling control unit 413 performs the following processing.

Scheduling control unit 413 refers to LP-state storage register 424,judges whether a program specified by the received unique P_ID iscurrently being executed, and if currently being executed, schedulingcontrol unit 413 immediately instructs processing execution unit 410 viaprocessing control unit 411 to jump to a subroutine program specified bythe received unique SP_ID and execute processing.

Furthermore, if the program specified by the received unique P_ID is notcurrently being executed, scheduling control unit 413 specifies aprogram to be the interrupt target of the subroutine program byreferring to a flag in request detection unit 419, and when thisspecified program is executed, scheduling control unit 413 instructsprocessing execution unit 410 via processing control unit 411 to jump tothe subroutine program and execute processing.

1-8-2 Common Interrupt Processing

Upon receipt of a common SP_ID from request detection unit 419,scheduling control unit 413 immediately instructs processing executionunit 410 via processing control unit 411 to jump to a subroutine programspecified by the received common SP_ID and execute processing, and whennotification is received from processing control unit 411 that executionof the subroutine program has been started, scheduling control unit 413instructs cycle counter 416 to suspend the countdown.

Furthermore, upon receipt of notification from processing control unit411 that execution of the subroutine program specified by the commonSP_ID has been completed, scheduling control unit 413 outputs a countrestart signal instructing cycle counter 416 to restart the countdown.

As described above, scheduling control unit 413 functions to execution avariety of processing.

Processing control unit 411 functions to manage an execution state ofprograms in processing execution unit 410. More specifically, processingcontrol unit 411 monitors an execution state of programs in processingexecution unit 410, and detects a start and an end timing of programexecution in processing execution unit 410, and also detects a start andan end timing of interrupt processing.

Whenever one of these timings arrives, processing control unit 411notifies scheduling control unit 413 that the timing has arrived.

Furthermore, upon receipt of a wait-code from processing execution unit410, processing control unit 411 outputs the wait-code to schedulingcontrol unit 413.

Furthermore, when a program execution in processing execution unit 410is in a non-suspendable state, processing control unit 411 sets thevalue of the switching-prohibited flag in processor-state storage unit425 to “1” (default value=“0”), and sets the value of the commoninterrupt flag in processor-state storage unit 425 to “1” (defaultvalue=“0”) for the duration that the subroutine program specified by thecommon SP_ID is being executed in processing execution unit 410.

Furthermore, upon receipt of a register-switching prohibited commandfrom processing execution unit 410, processing control unit 411 sets thevalue of the switching-prohibited flag in processor-state storage unit425 to “1”, and upon receipt of a register-switching prohibition releasecommand from processing execution unit 410, processing control unit 411sets the value of the switching prohibited flag to “0”. Moreover, uponreceipt of an NOP execution instruction from scheduling control unit413, processing control unit 411 has processing execution unit 410execute NOP.

DMA management unit 418 is a functional unit that manages and smoothlyperforms DMA transfers, and performs the DMA transfers based on requestsfrom scheduling control unit 413 and other functional units.

Furthermore, upon completing a DMA transfer requested by a functionalunit, DMA management unit 418 outputs a signal (hereafter,“transfer-completion signal”) showing the completion to the functionalunit and to scheduling control unit 413. Moreover, if a cache-missoccurs when DMA management unit 418 tries to obtain a program and datafrom a cache-memory in response to a request from processing executionunit 410, DMA management unit 418 outputs a signal (hereafter,“cache-miss signal”) showing that a cache-miss has occurred toscheduling control unit 413.

External I/F 417 is an interface for connecting external devices such asan external processor and the like, and outputs signals received from anexternal source to scheduling control unit 413 and request detectionunit 419.

Cycle counter 416 has a clock counter, and upon receipt of a basic cyclevalue from scheduling control unit 413, cycle counter 416 starts acountdown with this value as an initial value of the count.

Cycle counter 416 conducts the countdown by decrementing a 1-value perclock, starting from the initial value, and when the value reaches zero,cycle counter 416 outputs a signal (hereafter, “zero-count signal”) toscheduling control unit 413 showing that the count value has reachedzero.

Furthermore, cycle counter 416 suspends and restarts the countdown basedon instructions from scheduling control unit 413, outputs an actualcount value (i.e. count value at time instructed) to scheduling controlunit 413.

Clock mask unit 427 functions to block a signal route of a clock pulseto processing execution unit 410 for the duration that a mask signal isbeing received from scheduling control unit 413.

2. Data

FIG. 16 shows information content stored in time-allocation informationstorage register 402 and LP-state storage register 424.

In time-allocation-information storage register 402 is stored (1)timeslot information, (2) LP information, (3) priority level & modeinformation, (4) idle-option information, and (5) time-optioninformation.

This information is used in every timeslot, and is related to eachother.

2-1-1 Timeslot Information

In the timeslot information is included TS_ID values for specifyingtimeslots, and basic cycle values.

Furthermore, in a piece of timeslot information having TS_ID value of“3” is included a timelag value.

Furthermore, when the scheduling is performed by scheduling control unit413, a program ID is corresponded to a TS_ID value of a timeslot towhich the program is allotted.

2-1-2 LP Information

In the LP information is stored information relating to programs thatare candidates for allotting to timeslots.

The attributes and number of programs that are candidates for allottingto a single timeslot differ depending on the attribute of timeslots thatare allotment targets.

In other words, a program having a “TD” attribute will always beallotted to a timeslot having a “TD” attribute.

Furthermore, in each timeslot having a “TD” attribute is provided fourcandidate programs having “TD” attributes.

On the other hand, a program having an “ED” attribute will always beallotted to a timeslot having an “ED” attribute.

Furthermore, in each timeslot having a “ED” attribute is provided onecandidate program having an “ED” attribute.

Each piece of LP information is corresponded to a piece of timeslotinformation that corresponds to an allotment target timeslot.

In the LP information is stored groupings of values, each groupingconsisting of a (1) an ID value for specifying a program, (2) a valueshowing a priority level, and (3) an address value in context memory 500in which a context corresponding to the program is stored, and thenumber of groupings is equal to the number of allotment candidateprograms.

The values showing a priority level are one of 0, 1, 2, and 3, and areset such that the priority levels of the allotment candidate programs donot overlap.

Here, when the number of allotment candidate programs is one, the valueshowing a priority level is “0”.

2-1-3 Priority Level & Mode Information

In the priority level & mode information is stored information relatedto the designating of programs that are candidates for allotting totimeslots.

In other words, in the priority level & mode information is stored avalue (one of 0, 1, 2, 3) showing a priority level, and an “I” or “L”code showing a mode.

Here, the “I” code shows an INDEX mode, and the “L” code shows a LEVELmode.

Because the range of effective candidate programs is altered by changinga content of this priority level & mode information, it is possible toadjust an execution frequency of each candidate program so as toapproach a target value.

2-1-4 Idle-Option Information

In the idle-option information is stored information for determining aprogram execution operation when all of the programs for allotting to atimeslot are in an unexecutable state.

In other words, in the idle-option information is stored a “MICRO-SLEEP”code showing power reduction, or a “SWITCH/” code showinghigh-efficiency program execution.

2-1-5 Time-Option Information

In the time-option information is stored information for determining apost-suspension program operation when a currently executed program issuspended.

In other words, in the time-option information is stored (1) an“LP_SWITCH” code showing the allocation, to the timeslot, of anexecutable program corresponded to the timeslot to which a program whoseexecution has been suspended belongs, (2) a “TS_SWITCH” code showing thesetting of the next timeslot as the execution target, or (3) a“MICRO-SLEEP” code showing power reduction.

In LP-state storage register 424 is stored (1) program information, and(2) timeslot-setting information.

2-2 Program-State Information

In the program-state information is stored, for each program, an ID forspecifying a program, a code showing a program-state, and a codeshowing, together with a program attribute, a timing for waking up orrecovering a program.

There are six codes showing a program-state: “waiting”,“suspended-waiting”, “ready”, “suspended-ready”, “running”, and“nonexistent”.

The “waiting” code shows the relinquishing of a program execution periodat the present time, and the execution of a program within the programexecution timeframe of a normal timeslot at the next program executiontime. The “suspended-waiting” code shows the relinquishing of a programexecution period at the present time, and the setting of a time period(maximum=period of a single timeslot) not used as a result of therelinquishing, as the program execution period for the next programexecution time.

The “ready” code shows a program to currently be in an executable state,and the “suspended-ready” code shows a program that was in a“suspended-waiting” state to currently be in an executable state.

Furthermore, when a state of a program is transferred to the “waiting”,“suspended-waiting” or “suspended-ready” code as the result of a programexecution period being relinquished, a TS_ID value of the allotmenttarget timeslot at the time when the relinquishing occurred is attachedto the code.

Here, the TS_ID value is not cleared until the program is executed, andthus this TS_ID value may sometimes also be attached to the “ready,”code or the “suspended-ready” code.

The “running” code shows a program to currently be in an executablestate, and furthermore that the program is currently being executed.

The “nonexistent” code shows a program to currently be outside thetarget range of the scheduling.

Here, “outside the target range of the scheduling” means that theprogram cannot currently even be a candidate program.

Here, a candidate program that is in a “waiting” or a“suspended-waiting” state is outside the target range of candidatescheduling.

Furthermore, the “recovery of a program” mentioned above refers to aprogram having a “TD” attribute changing from a “waiting” to a “ready”state, or a program having a “TD” attribute changing from a“suspended-waiting” to a “suspended-ready/” state at the above timing“e”.

Furthermore, the “waking up of a program” refers to a program having a“TD” attribute changing from a “suspended-waiting” to a“suspended-ready” state at the above timing “n”, or a program having an“ED/” attribute changing from a “waiting” or a “suspended-waiting” to a“ready/” or “suspended-ready” state, respectively.

Here, the timing of waking up or recovering a program is referring tocollectively in the present invention as simply “wakeup timing”

The codes showing a program attribute includes (1) an “ED” code showingan event-driven program in the event-driven scheduling that is within atarget range of the candidate scheduling when an event occurs, and thatis not effected by the order determined by the time-driven scheduling,and (2) a “TD” code showing a program (i.e. a time-driven program) thatwaits for an allocated timeslot in the order determined by thetime-driven scheduling before being executed, despite being within thetarget range of the candidate scheduling when an event occurs.

In other words, a program having an “ED” attribute is transferred from a“waiting” or a “suspended-waiting” state to a “ready” or a“suspended-ready” state, respectively, and is allocated a timeslot as aresult the event-driven scheduling. On the other hand, a program havingan “TD” attribute is transferred from a “waiting” state to “ready”state, and allocated a timeslot as a result the time-driven scheduling.

As an exception, however, there may be times when a time-driven programthat is within the target range of the candidate scheduling when anevent occurs, is allocated a timeslot in the event-driven scheduling andexecuted, without being effected by the order determined in thetime-driven scheduling.

In other words, this exception arises when a time-driven program istransferred from a “suspended-waiting” state to a “suspended-ready”state, and is allocated a timeslot as a result of the event-drivenscheduling.

The codes showing a wakeup timing include (1) an “e” code showing thatit is necessary to urgently execute a program (i.e. without waiting toreceive a zero-count signal) to the extent that a context already storedin the standby register group is deleted, and an “n” code showing theexecution of a program after receiving a zero-count signal, upon thecompletion of the storage in the standby register group, once the saveprocessing from the standby register group has been completed.

In setting flag register 421 are stored setting flag groups provided foreach program.

These setting flag groups are for specifying a content of events andinterrupts permitted by the programs, and apart from being provided foreach program, these setting flag groups are the same as the setting flaggroup mentioned in the first embodiment, and thus a detailed descriptionis omitted here.

In request detection unit 419, as shown in FIG. 15, are stored LP uniqueflag groups provided for each program, and a single common flag group.

An LP unique flag group is information relating to unique interrupts,and shows what type of execution request for a unique interrupt hascurrently occurred with respect to what program.

Although the LP unique flag groups appear to exist for each program,they are actually a single piece of bit string data, and each flagexists in a bit position corresponding to a content of a uniqueinterrupt and a program that permits the interrupt.

In other words, when an interrupt having this content is permitted in agiven program, an LP unique flag existing in the bit position thatcorresponds to a content of the interrupt and the program will have a1-value (default value=0).

A data structure of the LP unique flags is similar to that of thecompletion notification flags mentioned in the first embodiment, andthus a detailed description is omitted here.

The common flag group is a collection of flags that show whether anexecution request for a common interrupt has occurred.

Here, an “execution request for a common interrupt” refers to a requestto execute an executable subroutine program in any of the programs. Thecommon flag group is actually a single piece of bit string data, andunique bit positions exist for subroutine programs to be executed afterinterrupting any currently executed program.

In other words, in the case of a common interrupt request occurring withrespect to a subroutine program, a flag in a bit position correspondingto the subroutine program will have a 1-value (default value=0).

Processor-state storage unit 425 stores switching-prohibited flag valuesand common interrupt flag values.

A switching-prohibited flag shows that register switching is currentlyunexecutable due to reasons such as, for example, not being able toimmediately suspend a program because of a shared resource beingaccessed during the program execution. In this case, theswitching-prohibited flag takes a 1-value (default value=0) for theduration that the register switching cannot be executed.

The value of this switching-prohibited flag is rewritable by a commandissued by a currently executed program.

A common interrupt flag shows that processing of a common interrupt iscurrently being executed, and takes a 1-value (default value=0) for theduration that that the processing of the common interrupt is beingexecuted.

3. Operation

The following description relates to processing for realizing efficientprogram execution in virtual multiprocessor 400, when programs areexecuted in a pseudo-parallel by a single processor.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart that shows processing performed in virtualmultiprocessor 400.

Processing execution unit 410 starts a program execution based on aninstruction from processing control unit 411 (step S100).

Parallel with this program execution, scheduling control unit 413performs save processing that targets register values stored in thestandby register group (step S101), and request detection unit 419judges whether an event-processing request has not occurred, based on anexternal signal received from external I/F 417 (step S102).

If an event-processing request has occurred (step S102=NO), requestdetection unit 419 outputs an event P_ID to scheduling control unit 413.

Scheduling control unit 413 performs event-driven scheduling based onthe event P_ID (step S103).

Here, a content of processing performed after the event-drivenscheduling is performed varies depending on a result of event-drivenscheduling.

If an event-processing request has not occurred (step S102=YES),scheduling control unit 413 sets a next TS as the target TS (step S104),performs time-driven scheduling (step S105), and performs restoreprocessing (step S106).

Then, request detection unit 419 judges whether an interrupt-processingrequest has not occurred (step S107), and if an interrupt-processingrequest has occurred (step S107=NO), request detection unit 419 outputs,in accordance with the type of interrupt, a unique P_ID, a unique SP_ID,a common SP_ID, and the like to scheduling control unit 413.

Upon receipt of these IDs, scheduling control unit 413 executesinterrupt processing (step S108).

On the other hand, if an interrupt-processing request has not occurred(step S107=YES), scheduling control unit 413 judges, based on await-code and a cache-miss signal, whether a program execution periodrelinquishing or a cache-miss has not occurred (step S109), and if thesehave occurred (step S109=NO), scheduling control unit 413 performsrelinquish scheduling (step S110).

Here, a processing content after the relinquish scheduling has beenperformed varies depending on the result of the relinquish scheduling.

On the other hand, if a program execution period relinquishing or acache-miss has not occurred (step S109=YES), scheduling control unit 413ends the program execution in processing execution unit 410 upon receiptof a zero-count signal from cycle counter 416 (step S111), performsregister-switch processing (step S112), and then returns to step S100,in which processing execution unit 410 starts a program execution.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart that shows a content of time-driven schedulingperformed by scheduling control unit 413.

Firstly, operations when a next TS is set as a target TS will bedescribed.

As a continuation of step S104 processing in FIG. 18(A), schedulingcontrol unit 413 performs target-timeslot-retrieval processing (stepS120).

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 refers to timeslotinformation stored in the next address in time-allocation-informationstorage register 402, specifies a next TS based on a TS_ID specifying atimeslot, and obtains a basic cycle value allotted to the timeslot.

Then, scheduling control unit 413 performs target-TS-allocation-programretrieval processing (step S121).

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 refers to LP informationcorresponded to a next TS, specifies candidate programs shown by the LPinformation, and detects a priority level corresponded to theseprograms.

Then, scheduling control unit 413 performs priority level & modeinformation retrieval processing (step S122).

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 refers to priority level& mode information corresponded to a next TS, judges whether one of 0,1, 2 and 3 is shown as the priority level, and also whether one of INDEXmode and LEVEL mode is shown as the mode.

Furthermore, scheduling control unit 413 performsidle-option-information retrieval processing (step S123).

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 refers to idle-optioninformation corresponded to a next TS, and judges whether one of“SWITCH” and “MICRO-SLEEP” is shown.

Next, scheduling control unit 413 performs schedule processing (stepS124).

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 specifies four programscorresponded to the next TS obtained by the target-timeslot retrievalprocessing, and detects a priority level corresponded to each of theseprograms by target-TS-allocation-program retrieval processing.

Scheduling control unit 413 then chooses a candidate program from thesefour programs, based on a priority level and a mode obtained as a resultof the priority level & mode information retrieval processing.

Furthermore, scheduling control unit 413 refers to program-stateinformation corresponding to each of the candidate programs in LP-statestorage register 424, detects whether each of the candidate programs isexecutable, and chooses an effective candidate program from thecandidate programs.

If there is plurality of effective candidate programs, schedulingcontrol unit 413 sets, as the allocation target to the next TS, theeffective candidate program to which the highest priority level value iscorresponded.

Furthermore, if no effective candidate program exists, schedulingcontrol unit 413 determines the subsequent processing content based onthe content of information obtained by performing theidle-option-information retrieval processing.

In other words, when the information content shows “MICRO-SLEEP”,scheduling control unit 413 does not set any program as an allocationtarget to the next TS.

In this case, scheduling control unit 413 has clock mask unit 427 blockthe supply of a clock pulse to processing execution unit 410, inaddition to having processing execution unit 410 perform NOP.

Furthermore, when the information content shows “SWITCH”, schedulingcontrol unit 413 sets, as a new next address, a value obtained by adding“1” to the next address (note: if next address=end address, then thisvalue=head address value), and repeatedly performs the scheduleprocessing from steps S120 to S124.

When the above processing is completed, scheduling control unit 413transfers to step S107, in which request detection unit 419 judgeswhether an interrupt processing execution has not occurred.

Operations when a target TS is set as a current TS are described in alater section.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart that shows a content of the event-drivenscheduling performed by scheduling control unit 413.

Scheduling control unit 413 specifies a program by an event P_IDreceived from request detection unit 419.

Furthermore, when a currently executed program is suspended as a resultof urgent register-switching by event driven scheduling, schedulingcontrol unit 413 specifies the program that has been suspended (stepS130).

Furthermore, scheduling control unit 413 refers to LP-state storageregister 424, and recognizes an attribute, a state, and a wakeup timingof the program.

Scheduling control unit 413 judges in step S131 whether at least one ofthe following (1) to (3) currently holds:

(1) program attribute is “ED/”?

(2) program attribute is “TD”, program state is “suspended-waiting”,wakeup timing is “n”?

(3) “running” state program that has been urgently register switched byevent-driven scheduling?

If judged in the negative for all of the above (step S131=NO),scheduling control unit 413 refers to LP-state storage register 424,judges whether the program wakeup timing is “e” (step S132), and if not“e” (step S132=NO; i.e. wakeup timing=“n”), scheduling control unit 413performs recovery-event processing.

More specifically, if the state of the program shown in LP-state storageregister 424 is “waiting”, scheduling control unit 413 changes thisstate to “ready”.

Scheduling control unit 413 then returns to step S105, in whichtime-driven scheduling is performed.

Furthermore, if judged in step S132 that the wakeup timing is “e” (stepS132=YES), scheduling control unit 413 performs the urgentrecovery-event processing (step S134), performs the urgent restoringprocessing (step S135), performs the urgent register-switch processing(step S136), and then returns to step S100.

Furthermore, if judged affirmative for (1) to (3) in step S131 (stepS131=YES), scheduling control unit 413 refers to LP-state storageregister 424, and judges whether the program wakeup timing is “e” (stepS137). If not “e” (step S137=NO; wakeup timing=“n”), scheduling controlunit 413 performs the event-wakeup processing (step S141), performs theearly restore processing (step S142), and returns to step S107.

Furthermore, if judged in step S137 that the wakeup timing is “e” (stepsS137=YES), scheduling control unit 413 performs the urgent event-wakeupprocessing (step S138), performs the urgent restore processing (stepS139), performs the urgent register-switch processing (step S140), andreturns to step S100.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart that shows a content of the interrupt processingperformed in step S108.

Scheduling control unit 413 judges, based on a unique P_ID, a uniqueSP_ID and a common SP_ID received from request detection unit 419,whether a common-interrupt-processing request has occurred (step S150).

If a common-interrupt-processing request has occurred (step S150=YES;i.e. common SP_ID received from request detection unit 419), schedulingcontrol unit 413 suspends the countdown in cycle counter 416 for theduration that a subroutine program specified by the common SP_ID isbeing executed (step S151˜S152).

On the other hand, if a common-interrupt-processing request has notoccurred (step S150=NO; i.e. unique P_ID and unique SP_ID received fromrequest detection unit 419), scheduling control unit 413 does notsuspend the countdown in cycle counter 416 for the duration that asubroutine program specified by the unique SP_ID is being executed (stepS153˜S154).

When the above processing is completed, scheduling control unit 413moves to step S109.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart that shows a content of the relinquish schedulingperformed in step S110.

Scheduling control unit 413 judges whether a cache-miss signal has beenreceived from DMA management unit 418 (step S160), and if a cache-misssignal has been received (step S160=YES), scheduling control unit 413changes the state of a currently executed program to “suspended-waiting”(step S161), and performs time-option-information retrieval processing(step S162).

On the other hand, if a cache-miss signal has not been received (stepS160=NO), scheduling control unit 413 judges whether a “vmp_sus” codehas been received (step S163), and if a “vmp_sus” code has been received(step S163=YES), scheduling control unit 413 changes the state of acurrently executed program to “suspended-waiting” (step S161), andperforms time-option-information retrieval processing (step S162).

However, if judged that a “vmp_sus” code has not been received (stepS163=NO; i.e. a “vmp_wait” code has been received), scheduling controlunit 413 changes the state of a currently executed program to “waiting”(step S164), and performs the time-option-information retrievalprocessing (step S162).

Scheduling control unit 413 confirms the time-option information contentby executing this time-option-information retrieval processing.

Scheduling control unit 413 then judges whether the time-optioninformation content shows “MICRO-SLEEP” (step S165), and if judged toshow shows “MICRO-SLEEP” (step S165=YES), unit 413 instructs processingexecution unit 410 via processing control unit 411 to execute NOP (stepS166), and returns to step S111.

Furthermore, if the time-option information content is not “MICRO-SLEEP”(step S165=NO), scheduling control unit 413 judges whether thetime-option information content is “TS_SWITCH” (step S167), and ifjudged to be “TS_SWITCH” (step S167=YES), unit 413 performs urgentregister-switch processing (step S168), and returns to step S100.

On the other hand, if the time-option information content is not“TS_SWITCH” (step S167=NO; i.e. time-option informationcontent=“LP_SWITCH”), scheduling control unit 413 sets a target TS as acurrent TS (step S169), and performs the time-driven scheduling (stepS170).

The time-driven scheduling performed in step S170 and the time-drivenscheduling performed in step S105 will now be described with referenceto the differences.

There are two differences in the content of the two time-drivenscheduling operations.

In the time-driven scheduling performed in step S170, (1) the targetaddress is current TS rather than the next TS, and (2) as a result ofperforming the schedule processing, the processing moves to NOPexecution when an effective candidate program does not exist,irrespective of the idle-option information.

More specifically, as a continuation of the step S169 processing in FIG.18(B), scheduling control unit 413 performs target-timeslot retrievalprocessing (step S120).

In other words, scheduling control unit 413 refers to timeslotinformation stored in the current address in time-allocation-informationstorage register 402, specifies a current TS based on a TS_ID specifyinga timeslot, and obtains a basic cycle value allotted to the timeslot.

Scheduling control unit 413 then performs target-TS-allocation-programretrieval processing (step S121), and priority level & mode informationretrieval processing (step S122).

Next, scheduling control unit 413 performs idle-option-informationretrieval processing (step S123), and schedule processing (step S124).

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 specifies four programscorresponded to the current TS obtained by the target-timeslot retrievalprocessing, and detects a priority level corresponded to each of theseprograms by target-TS-allocation-program retrieval processing.

Scheduling control unit 413 then chooses candidate programs from thesefour programs, based on a priority level and a mode obtained as a resultof the priority level & mode information retrieval processing.

Furthermore, scheduling control unit 413 refers to program-stateinformation corresponding to each of the candidate programs in LP-statestorage register 424, detects whether each of the candidate programs isexecutable, and chooses an effective candidate program from thecandidate programs.

If there is plurality of effective candidate programs, schedulingcontrol unit 413 sets, as the allocation target to the next TS, theeffective candidate program to which the highest priority level value iscorresponded.

Furthermore, if no effective candidate program exists, schedulingcontrol unit 413 stores the fact that no effective candidate programexists.

The above processing is the time-driven scheduling performed in stepS170, in which the target address is sets as the current address.

After executing this time-driven scheduling, scheduling control unit 413judges whether there is an effective candidate program (step S171).

If there is no effective candidate program (step S171=NO), schedulingcontrol unit 413 instructs processing execution unit 410 via processingcontrol unit 411 to execute NOP (step S166), instructs clock mask unit427 to block the clock-pulse supply to processing execution unit 410 forthe duration of the NOP execution, and returns to step S102.

As a result of this instruction, supply of the clock pulse to processingexecution unit 410 is blocked.

On the other hand, when there is an effective candidate program (stepS171=YES), scheduling control unit 413 performs the restore processing(step S172), performs the urgent register-switch processing (step S168),and returns to step S100.

4. Program Execution During Processor Drive Time

The following description relates a program execution status whenvirtual multiprocessor 400 is driven.

4-1. Basic Program Execution

As described above, program execution is performed in virtualmultiprocessor 400 based on a plurality of timeslots and programs thatare corresponded to the timeslots.

FIGS. 22A and 22B depict these timeslots.

For the sake of convenience, each timeslot is written as “TSn” (n beingan integer from 0 to 15), and the n-value is unique for each timeslot.

In the setting, sixteen timeslots are provided, and four of thesetimeslots (TS0˜TS3) are time-driven timeslots that are used in normalscheduling.

In other words, programs allotted to each of timeslots TS0 to TS3 areexecuted sequentially, and when execution of a program allotted to TS3is completed, the programs are again executed from a program allotted toTS0.

TS0 to TS2 are timeslots used for program execution premised on realtimeprocessing that targets image, audio, and the like.

TS3 (TS_ID=3) is a timeslot used for program execution that is notpremised on realtime processing.

The other timeslots (TS4˜TS15) are event-driven timeslots that are wokenup when an event occurs.

As shown in FIG. 22A, each timeslot has corresponded a basic cyclevalue, and a time period equating to this basic cycle value forms aprogram execution timeframe of each timeslot.

As shown in FIG. 22B, it is not generally possible to exactly match theswitch timing with the basic cycle of a timeslot, and the switchingnormally occurs a few cycles over the basic cycle.

By performing the basic-cycle-adjustment processing in virtualmultiprocessor 400, the time period by which the execution timeframesare exceeded in TS0 to TS3 is subtracted from the execution timeframe ofTS3, and thus the execution periods can be orderly maintained.

Furthermore, when a program execution period allotted to a programscheduled for execution is relinquished in virtual multiprocessor 400,two types of information (i.e. time-option information and idle-optioninformation) are available to determine a content of measures to beadopted in effecting efficient program execution or power reductions.

4-2. Program Execution: Based on Time-Option Information whenRelinquishing Occurs

As described above, time-option information is information relating totimeslots, and is for determining a program execution content subsequentto the execution period of a currently executed program beingrelinquished due to the program becoming unexecutable.

FIGS. 23A to 23D depict a program execution state based on time-optioninformation when a program execution period is relinquished (i.e.program execution state that results from time-option-informationretrieval processing).

For the sake of convenience, each program is written as “LPm” (m beingan integer from 0 to 31), and the m-value is unique for each program.

As shown in FIG. 23A, when there are efficient candidate programs intime-driven scheduling timeslots TS0 to TS3, the programs are executedsequentially within the execution timeframe of each of the programs.

Here, LP0, LP1, LP2 and LP3 are allotted to TS0, TS1, TS2 and TS3,respectively.

As shown in FIG. 23B, when the relinquishing of the program executionperiod is triggered by a “vmp_wait” code outputted by processingexecution unit 410 during the execution of LP1 in the executiontimeframe of TS1, and also when the time-option information of TS1 shows“LP_SWITCH”, the following program execution is conducted as a result ofthe above processing being executed in various functional units.

LP4 is executed instead of LP1 until the execution timeframe of TS1 isused up, LP4 here being an effective candidate program that iscorresponded to the same TS1, is in an executable state, and has thehighest priority level of the candidate programs.

At this time, register values of a context corresponding to LP2 andstored in a standby register group are at once discarded, and registervalues of a context corresponding to LP4 are stored in the standbyregister group.

A time period until t2 is required to conduct the discarding, therestoring of LP4, and start the executing of LP4.

Normally, this time period t2 is equivalent to approximately thirtycycles of pulse output by cycle counter 416.

When there are no effective candidate programs in TS1, it is notpossible to conduct program execution in this timeslot, and in thiscase, scheduling control unit 413 performs controls to have programexecution conducted that is similar to when the timeslot information ofTS1 (described below) shows “MICRO-SLEEP”.

Here, a timeslot such as TS1, that falls outside the execution targetrange because of there being no effective candidate program, is referredto as a “sleeping timeslot”.

The following program execution is conducted when a program executionperiod is relinquished and the time-option information shows“TS_SWITCH”.

As shown in FIG. 23C, the register switching is conducted quickly, andLP2, which is allotted to TS2, is moved up and executed.

LP2 was already stored in the standby register group at this time, andthus it is possible to execute LP2 quickly.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 23D, when a program execution period isrelinquished, and the time-option information of TS1 shows“MICRO-SLEEP”, meaningless program execution (i.e. NOP execution) thathas no connection with the program originally executed is conducteduntil the execution timeframe of TS1 is used up.

Here, the clock output to processing execution unit 410 is blocked forthe duration of the NOP execution, and as a result, drive power isreduced.

4-3. Program Execution: Based on Idle-Option Information whenRelinquishing Occurs

As described above, idle-option information relates to timeslots, and isfor determining a program execution content when there exist noeffective candidate programs in a given timeslot.

FIGS. 24A to 24C depict a program execution status based on idle-optioninformation there are no effective candidate programs in a time-driventimeslot.

FIG. 24A shows a program execution status when there is at least oneeffective candidate program in each time-driven timeslot.

The following description is premised on the above situation, andrelates to program execution when there are no effective candidateprograms in TS1.

As shown in FIG. 24B, when there exist no effective candidate programsin TS1, and when the idle-option information of TS1 shows “SWITCH”, LP2,which is allotted to TS2 instead of TS1, is executed.

As shown in FIG. 24C, furthermore, when there exist no effectivecandidate programs in TS1, and when the idle-option information of TS1shows “MICRO-SLEEP”, NOP execution is conducted until the executiontimeframe of TS1 is used up.

Here, the clock pulse output to processing execution unit 410 (i.e. theCPU) is blocked for the duration of the NOP execution, and as a result,drive power is reduced.

4-4. Program Execution: Wait-State Cancellation

A currently executed program changes to an unexecutable suspended-state(“suspended-waiting”) that is triggered by the output of a “vmp_sus”code.

Furthermore, a currently executed program changes to an executablesuspended-state (“suspended-ready”) when suspended by another program asa result of urgent register switching.

A timeslot allocated to such a programs during execution is referred toas a “suspended timeslot”, and as described above, a P_ID of the programis stored so as to be related to a TS_ID.

A program in the above unexecutable suspended-state becomes an effectivecandidate program when the waiting-state of the program is cancelled. Aprogram suspended by another program becomes an effective candidateprogram when the program changes to an executable suspended-state. Thefollowing description relates to a temporarily suspended programbecoming an effective candidate program, and an execution of a suspendedtimeslot being restarted from an intermediate position.

FIGS. 25A and 25B depict program execution in this situation.

FIG. 25A shows a program execution status when TS3 of the four timeslotsTS0 to TS3 is already a suspended timeslot, and when TS0 become a newsuspended timeslot after LP0 allocated to TS0 ceases to be effective,this being triggered by a “vmp_sus” code outputted from processingexecution unit 410.

At this time, in TS0, a time period t3 equating to a set executiontimeframe remains unused.

When a “vmp_sus” code is received, scheduling control unit 413 updatesthe program state of LP0 to “suspended-waiting” and retains a timeperiod t4, which remains unused in the execution timeframe, in thecontext as an actual count value.

Then, as shown in FIG. 25A, only TS1 and TS2 are repeatedly targeted forexecution.

FIG. 25B shows a program execution status when the wait-state of LP0allotted to the suspended timeslot TS0 is cancelled (i.e. cancellationof an unexecutable suspended-state “suspended-waiting”), and when thewakeup timing of LP0 in LP-state storage register 424 shows “n” (i.e. tobe woken up normally).

In this case, as shown in FIG. 25B, when the waiting is cancelled (i.e.cancellation of an unexecutable suspended-state occurs), schedulingcontrol unit 413 updates the program state of LP0 to “suspended-ready”,but waits for a zero-count signal without immediately executing LP0, andthen executes LP0 at a timing that does not cause the suspension ofprogram execution in other TS.

In this way, register values already stored in the standby registergroup are used when the cancellation of an unexecutable suspended-stateoccurs, and the storage is not wasted.

At this time, scheduling control unit 413 has LP0 executed for only thetime period t4 of the actual count value retained in the context.

In the above case, the execution of LP0 is performed by event-drivenscheduling.

Following this, LP0 allotted to TS0, which becomes the execution targetas a result of normal time-driven scheduling, is executed for only timeperiod t3.

The following description relates to a program execution status whenwaiting is cancelled (i.e. cancellation of an unexecutablesuspended-state) in the case that the wakeup timing of LP0 in LP-statestorage register 424 shows “e” in the above case.

4-5. Program Execution: Urgent Restore Event

Similar to FIG. 25A, FIG. 26A shows a program execution status when TS3of the four timeslots TS0 to TS3 is already a suspended timeslot, andwhen TS0 is a new suspended timeslot after LP4 allocated to TS0 hasceased to be effective, this being triggered by a “vmp_sus” codeoutputted from processing execution unit 410.

At this time, in TS0, all of a set execution timeframe t5 has not beenused.

Again, similar to FIG. 25A, when a “vmp_sus” code is received,scheduling control unit 413 updates the program state of LP0 to“suspended-waiting” and retains a time period t6, which remains unusedin the execution timeframe, in the context as an actual count value.

FIG. 26B shows a program execution status when the wait-state of LP0allotted to the sleeping timeslot TS0 is cancelled (i.e. cancellation ofunexecutable suspended-state occurs), and when the wakeup timing of LP0in LP-state storage register 424 shows “e” (i.e. to be woken upurgently).

In this case, as shown in FIG. 26B, when the waiting is cancelled (i.e.when an unexecutable suspended-state is cancelled), scheduling controlunit 413 updates the program state of LP0 to “suspended-ready”, and hasLP0 executed immediately.

Here, “immediately” refers to program execution in the overhead (t2)required for the restoring, register switching, and the like.

More specifically, at the point in time that the waiting is cancelled(i.e. the unexecutable suspended-state is cancelled), scheduling controlunit 413 discards register values already stored in a standby registergroup, performs urgent restore processing to store register values of acontext corresponding to LP0 into the standby register group, performsurgent register-switch processing, and immediately has LP0 executed inthe t6 time period, in addition to updating the program state of LP1 to“suspended-ready”, and retaining a time period t7, which remains unusedin the execution timeframe of TS1, in the context of LP1 as an actualcount value.

In a register group that becomes the standby register group as a resultof the register-switch processing being executed, there exist registervalues of a context corresponding to LP1 that had been executed up untilthen. However, scheduling control unit 413 saves these register values,executes restore processing following the execution of LP1, performsregister-switch processing after the completion of the LP0 execution,and immediately has LP1 executed in the t7 time period.

Here, the execution of LP1 is also conducted by event-driven scheduling.More specifically, program execution is restarted by event-wakeupprocessing (wakeup timing=“n”).

4-6. Program Execution: Event-Processing

As shown in FIG. 27A, when an event-processing request does not occur,TS0, TS1, TS2 and TS3 sequentially become the execution target, and LP0,LP1, LP2 and LP3 are sequentially executed.

FIG. 27B shows a program execution status when an event-processingrequest occurs to execute LP4 in TS4, which is a timeslot for events,and when a wakeup timing of LP4 in LP-state storage register 424 shows“n” (i.e. to be woken up normally).

In this case, as shown in FIG. 27B, when an event-processing requestoccurs, scheduling control unit 413 updates the program state of LP4from “waiting” to “ready”, but waits, without executing LP4 immediately,for a register group, which was the current register group when theevent-processing request occurred, to become a standby register group,and for this register group to be released, and when this happens,scheduling control unit 413 stores register values of a contextcorresponding to LP4 in this register group, and has LP4 executed whenthis register group becomes the current register group.

As a result, register values already stored in a standby register groupare used at the time that an event-processing request occurs, and thestorage is not wasted.

FIG. 27C shows a program execution status when an event-processingrequest occurs to execute LP4 in TS4, which is a timeslot for events,and also when a wakeup timing of LP4 in LP-state storage register 424shows “e” (i.e. to be woken up urgently).

In this case, as shown in FIG. 27C, when an event-processing requestoccurs, scheduling control unit 413 updates the program state of LP4 to“ready”, and has LP4 executed immediately during t2.

More specifically, at the time that an event-processing request occurs,scheduling control unit 413 discards register values already stored in astandby register group, stores register values of a contextcorresponding to LP4 in the standby register group, executes urgentregister-switch processing, and immediately has LP4 executed, inaddition to updating the program state of LP1 to “suspended-ready”, andretaining a time period (i.e. an actual count value), which remainsunused in the execution timeframe of TS1, in the context of LP1.

In a register group that becomes the standby register group as a resultof the register-switch processing being executed, there exist registervalues of a context corresponding to LP1 that had been executed up untilthen. Scheduling control unit 413 temporarily saves these registervalues, restores these register values to the standby register group,immediately performs register-switch processing after the execution ofLP4 is completed, and has LP1 executed in the above time period thatremained unused.

Here, the execution of LP1 is also conducted by event-driven scheduling.More specifically, execution is restated by event-wakeup processing(wakeup timing=“n”).

4-7. Program Execution: Common-Interrupt-Processing

FIGS. 28A and 28B depict a program execution status when acommon-interrupt-processing request occurs.

As shown in FIG. 28A, when a common-interrupt processing request doesnot occur, the four timeslots from TS0 to TS3 sequentially become theexecution target timeslot, and LP0, LP1, LP2 and LP3 are sequentiallyexecuted.

As shown in FIG. 28B, when a common-interrupt processing request occursduring the execution of LP2 in TS2, scheduling control unit 413 jumps toa common-interrupt-processing dedicated subroutine program during theexecution of LP2, and executes common-interrupt processing. When thecommon-interrupt processing has been completed, scheduling control unit413 returns to LP2 and restarts the program execution.

At this time, scheduling control unit 413 does not include the programexecution period of the subroutine in the program execution period ofthe interrupted LP2.

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 stops the countdown incycle counter 416 for the duration of common-interrupt processing in thesubroutine.

As a result, a time period, which is obtained by adding time period t10,in which the program was executed in the subroutine, to executiontimeframe t9 of TS2, becomes the execution period of LP2.

Here, the execution period of the common-interrupt processing is notincluded in the original execution period of the interrupted LP2 inorder to avoid any unfair reduction in the execution period of only theprogram allotted to a timeslot that happens to be interrupted, despitethe common-interrupt processing being required by all of the programs.

4-8. Program Execution: Unique-Interrupt Processing

FIGS. 29A to 28C show the execution of programs relating to aunique-interrupt processing request.

As shown in FIG. 29A, when a unique-interrupt processing request doesnot occur, the four timeslots TS0 to TS3 are sequentially selected asthe execution target timeslot, and the four programs LP0 to LP3,allotted respectively to these timeslots, are sequentially executed.

As shown in FIG. 29B, in the case that a unique-interrupt processingrequest corresponding to LP3 occurs during the execution of LP2 in TS2,scheduling control unit 413 jumps to and executes a subroutine dedicatedto the requested unique-interrupt processing when LP3 is next executed,and returns to and executes LP3 when this processing is completed.

In this case, scheduling control unit 413 includes the execution periodof the subroutine in the execution period of the interrupted LP3.

That is, scheduling control unit 413 does not stop the countdown incycle counter 416 while the unique-interrupt processing is beingexecuted.

Here, LP3 is the only program that requires this unique-interruptprocessing, and thus the execution period of the unique-interruptprocessing is included in the execution period of the interrupted LP3 inorder to avoid any unfair reduction in the execution period of programsthat do not require this processing.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 29C, in the case that a unique-interruptprocessing request corresponding to LP3 occurs during the execution ofLP3 in TS3, scheduling control unit 413 immediately jumps to andexecutes the subroutine dedicated to the requested unique-interruptprocessing, and returns to and executes LP3 when this processing iscompleted.

In this case, scheduling control unit 413 again includes the executionperiod of the unique-interrupt processing in the execution period of theinterrupted LP3 for the reasons given above.

Tasks can be executed efficiently according to the second embodiment asdescribed above, because the saving, judging and restoring of contextsis performed in parallel with the program execution, and thus the timerequired for the saving, judging and restoring does not intervene in theexecution period of the programs, even when a plurality of programs areexecuted in a pseudo-parallel manner by a single virtual multiprocessor400.

More than one program is provided per timeslot, and so even if one ofthe programs becomes unexecutable, another of the programs can beexecuted instead, and the execution period of programs can thus be usedeffectively.

Furthermore, power consumption can be reduced when a program becomesunexecutable, by having processing execution unit 410 execute NOP duringthe execution period of the unexecutable program in order to stop thedriving.

Although, in the second embodiment, scheduling control unit 413 isdescribed as including the time period required to execute a subroutinefor unique-interrupt processing in the execution period of aninterrupted program, the invention is not limited to this structure andmay be structured as shown in FIGS. 30A to 30C.

As shown in FIG. 30A, when a unique-interrupt processing request doesnot occur, the four timeslots TS0 to TS3 are sequentially selected asthe execution target timeslot, and the four programs LP0 to LP3,allotted respectively to these timeslots, are sequentially executed.

Here, a single cycle of program execution is completed when LP0 to LP3have each been executed once.

As shown in FIG. 30B, when a unique-interrupt processing requestcorresponding to LP2 occurs during the k^(th) execution of LP2,scheduling control unit 413 does not, at this time, includes anexecution period t13 of the subroutine dedicated to the requestedunique-interrupt processing in the execution period of the interruptedprogram (LP2).

In other words, scheduling control unit 413 stops the countdown in cyclecounter 416 for the execution period t13 of the subroutine.

Then, as shown in FIG. 30C, in the k+1^(th) cycle of program execution,scheduling control unit 413 has LP2 executed for a time period obtainedby subtracting the execution period t13 from an execution timeframe t12of TS2.

More specifically, scheduling control unit 413 outputs a valueequivalent to a time period obtained by subtracting t12 from t13 tocycle counter 416, instead of the basic cycle value (t12) of TS2.

In the k+2^(th) cycle, LP2 is executed normally, as shown in FIG. 30A.

Although, according to the second embodiment as shown in FIG. 31A, thepower consumption of processing execution unit 410 is reduced by clockmask unit 427 blocking a signal route of a clock pulse to processingexecution unit 410 for the duration that clock mask unit 427 receives amask signal from scheduling control unit 413, the invention is notlimited to this structure and may be structured as follows.

As shown in FIG. 31B, the power consumption of processing execution unit410 may be set to “0”, by disposing a power control unit 430 on a powersupply route to processing execution unit 410, and having power controlunit 430 block this power supply route for the duration that powercontrol unit 430 receives a power control signal (i.e. instead of themask signal) from scheduling control unit 413.

Also, as shown in FIG. 31C, the drive frequency of processing executionunit 410 may be lowered and power consumption reduced, by disposing adividing unit 431 formed from a divider and the like on a signal routeof a clock pulse between an oscillator 600 and processing execution unit410, and having dividing unit 431 divide a frequency of this clock pulseby a factor of 4, for example, for the duration that dividing unit 431receives a dividing signal (i.e. instead of the mask signal) fromscheduling control unit 413.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 31D, the drive frequency of processingexecution unit 410 may be lowered and power consumption reduced, bydisposing dividing unit 431 on a signal route of a clock pulse betweenoscillator 600 and virtual multiprocessor 400, and having dividing unit431 divide the frequency of this clock pulse by a factor of 4, forexample, for a duration that dividing unit 431 receives a dividingsignal (i.e. instead of the mask signal) from scheduling control unit413.

In this case, cycle counter 416 may, in addition to a normal processingunit 432, have a multiplying unit 433 formed from a multiplier and thelike, and the influence of the dividing by dividing unit 431 may beset-off by having cycle counter 416 multiply the frequency of the clockpulse by a factor of 4, for example, and conduct the countdown.

Here, the factor by which the frequency of the clock pulse isdivided/multiplied is, of course, not limited to “4”.

According to the second embodiment, when an output frequency (number ofoutputs is stored for a predetermined period dating back from thepresent time) of an event P_ID exceeds a predetermined threshold value,request detection unit 419 delays the outputting of the event P_ID untilthe output frequency is less than or equal to the threshold value.However, request detection unit 419 may stop the output of the eventP_ID (i.e. ignore the event-processing request) when the outputfrequency exceeds the threshold value.

Also, according to the second embodiment, scheduling control unit 413instructs DMA management unit 418 to write data required for executing aprogram that corresponds to a context stored in a standby register groupinto a cache-memory, although alternatively, scheduling control unit 413may instruct garbage collection to be executed by a functional unit forexecuting garbage collection.

In the second embodiment, there is a section that relates to whichprogram to execute first when two or more programs change from “ready”to “suspended-ready” at a given time; that is, when a plurality ofprograms exist within the candidate range of event-driven scheduling(i.e. within the target range of the scheduling). In this case, theprograms may be executed based on priority levels assigned to theprograms, starting from the program having the highest priority level.

For example, if an inverse relationship exists between priority levelsand program ID values, the program within the scheduling target rangethat has the smallest ID value will be targeted for execution first.

Furthermore, although the description in the second embodiment is basedon the premise that the number of programs (LP) is greater than thenumber of register groups, the present invention is not limited to thisstructure, and thus the number of programs may be less than or equal tothe number of register groups.

In this case, a context memory need not be provided, and restoring andsaving steps are not required.

When there are two programs, LP0 is corresponded to a first registergroup, and LP1 is corresponded to a second register group.

For example, when LP0 is to be executed, the scheduling control unit 413selects the first register group as the current register group, withoutperforming operations to restore a register value group from the contextmemory.

Even if there are three programs and three register groups, the registergroup selected as the current register group is the execution targetregister group, and the other register groups are standby registergroups.

Here, LP2 is corresponded to a third register group.

When LP2 is to be executed, the third register group is selected as thecurrent register group.

Even after the selection target has been switched, it is not necessaryto perform operations to save a register value group to the contextmemory.

Furthermore, in the second embodiment, context memory 500 is constitutedby SRAM, but may be DRAM. Moreover, context memory 500 is not limited tothese types of memory, and may be a register that allows for quickaccess, an external storage apparatus that allows for quick access, orthe like.

Although the present invention has been fully described by way ofexamples with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be notedthat various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilledin the art. Therefore, unless such changes and modifications depart fromthe scope of the present invention, they should be construed as beingincluded therein.

1. A processor for sequentially executing a plurality of programs usinga plurality of register value groups stored in a memory that correspondone-to-one with the programs, the programs stored in a computer readablestorage media, the processor comprising: a plurality of register groups;a select/switch unit selecting one of the plurality of register groupsas an execution target register group on which a program execution isbased, and to switch the execution target register group every time afirst predetermined period elapses; a restoring unit restoring, everytime the switching is performed, one of the register value groups intoone of the register groups that is not selected as the execution targetregister group; a saving unit saving, prior to the restoring, registervalues in the register group targeted for restoring, by overwriting aregister value group in the memory that corresponds to the registervalues; a program execution unit executing, every time the switching isperformed, a program corresponding to a register value group in theexecution target register group, wherein the first predetermined periodis specified, based on table information in which a plurality of countvalues are arranged in an order, every time the selection is performed,using the count values in the order, the program execution unit startsthe executing when the select/switch unit performs a switch operation, afirst obtaining unit obtaining sequence information that shows asequence of the register value groups corresponding to the programs,wherein the restoring unit determines, based on the sequenceinformation, a register value group to be restored, and performs therestoring, the first predetermined period is determined such that, ifthe restoring is performed on all of the register value groups in thesequence shown in the sequence information, a total time period that therestored register groups are selected as the execution target registergroup is within a second predetermined period, and the determination ofthe first determined period is performed by adjusting each count valuein the table information.
 2. The processor of claim 1, wherein thesequence information is a table in which identification informationunique to each register value group is arrayed in a predetermined order,and the sequence is shown by the predetermined order of the arrayedidentification information.
 3. The processor of claim 2, wherein thetable of the sequence information includes identification informationthat is identical, the identical identification information is arrayedso as to be dispersed throughout the array, and a number of pieces ofidentical identification information in the array is unique for eachprogram corresponding to a register value group specified by a piece ofidentification information.
 4. The processor of claim 2, wherein thesequence information is a table in which the identification informationunique to each register value group has attached pointers that point toother identification information, and the sequence is shown by followingthe pointers.
 5. The processor of claim 3, wherein the plurality ofprograms includes a management program that is for judging whether thetable of the sequence information requires changing, and for changingthe table when required, and only one piece of identificationinformation specifies a location of a register value group correspondingto the management program.
 6. The processor of claim 3, wherein theplurality of programs includes an image processing program for executingimage processing, and the number of pieces of identification informationin the array that specify a location of a register value groupcorresponding to the image processing program is greater than that ofthe other programs which are not the image processing program.
 7. Theprocessor of claim 3, wherein the identification information is addressvalues that show storage locations of the register value groups, and therestoring unit specifies, based on the address values, a location of aregister value group for restoring, and performs the restoring.
 8. Theprocessor of claim 5, wherein the first predetermined period is uniquefor each program, each piece of identification information has appendeda piece of time period information that shows the unique time period ofa program corresponding to a register value group specified by the eachpiece of identification information, and the management program performsthe changing such that a total of the unique time periods is within thesecond predetermined period.
 9. The processor of claim 8, wherein whenjudged during execution of the management program that the tablerequires changing, the program execution unit generates a dummy tableshowing a state of the table after the changing, and performs thechanging by replacing the table with the dummy table.
 10. A processorfor sequentially executing a plurality of programs using a plurality ofregister value groups stored in a memory that correspond one-to-one withthe programs, the programs stored in a computer readable storage media,the processor comprising: a plurality of register groups; aselect/switch unit selecting one of the plurality of register groups asan execution target register group on which a program execution isbased, and to switch the execution target register group every time afirst predetermined period elapses; a restoring unit restoring, everytime the switching is performed, one of the register value groups intoone of the register groups that is not selected as the execution targetregister group; a saving unit saving, prior to the restoring, registervalues in the register group targeted for restoring, by overwriting aregister value group in the memory that corresponds to the registervalues; a program execution unit executing, every time the switching isperformed, a program corresponding to a register value group in theexecution target register group, wherein the first predetermined periodis specified, based on table information in which a plurality of countvalues are arranged in an order, every time the selection is performed,using the count values in the order, the program execution unit startsthe executing when the select/switch unit performs a switch operation, afirst obtaining unit obtaining sequence information that shows asequence of the register value groups corresponding to the programs,wherein the restoring unit determines, based on the sequenceinformation, a register value group to be restored, and performs therestoring, the first predetermined period is determined such that, ifthe restoring is performed on all of the register value groups in thesequence shown in the sequence information, a total time period that therestored register groups are selected as the execution target registergroup is within a second predetermined period, and the determination ofthe first determined period is performed by adjusting a number of piecesof sequence information that indicate different orders for a sameregister group.
 11. The processor of claim 10, wherein the sequenceinformation is a table in which identification information unique toeach register value group is arrayed in a predetermined order, and thesequence is shown by the predetermined order of the arrayedidentification information.
 12. The processor of claim 11, wherein thetable of the sequence information includes identification informationthat is identical, the identical identification information is arrayedso as to be dispersed throughout the table, and a number of pieces ofarrayed identical identification information is unique for each programcorresponding to a register value group specified by a piece ofidentification information.
 13. The processor of claim 11, wherein thesequence information is a table in which the identification informationunique to each register value group has attached pointers that point toother identification information, and the sequence is shown by followingthe pointers.
 14. The processor of claim 12, wherein the plurality ofprograms includes a management program that is for judging whether thetable of the sequence information requires changing, and for changingthe table when required, and only one piece of identificationinformation specifies a location of a register value group correspondingto the management program.
 15. The processor of claim 12, wherein theplurality of programs includes an image processing program for executingimage processing, and the number of pieces of identification informationin the array that specify a location of a register value groupcorresponding to the image processing program is greater than that ofthe other programs which are not the image processing program.
 16. Theprocessor of claim 12, wherein the identification information is addressvalues that show storage locations of the register value groups, and therestoring unit specifies, based on the address values, a location of aregister value group for restoring, and performs the restoring.
 17. Theprocessor of claim 14, wherein the first predetermined period is uniquefor each program, each piece of identification information has appendeda piece of time period information that shows the unique time period ofa program corresponding to a register value group specified by the eachpiece of identification information, and the management program performsthe changing such that a total of the unique time periods is within thesecond predetermined period.
 18. The processor of claim 17, wherein whenjudged during execution of the management program that the tablerequires changing, the program execution unit generates a dummy tableshowing a state of the table after the changing, and performs thechanging by replacing the table with the dummy table.